Knock On Stone
by LeMafiaKreb
Summary: The sequel to KOW. Our heroes still carry the weight of their past, months after the ‘War With Darkness’. However, their mourning and daily routine will have to wait, as something dangerous festers in the horizon. Down a friend and agaisnt bleak odds, they will have to push through once again to save themselves and ther own, or watch everything they love get torn apart.
1. Memories

Author's Notes

Throws open door*

I'm BAAAAAAAAAACK.

Well, it's been a while. Plus I'm late. Two months, to be exact, since I posted the last KOW chapter. And let me tell you, I missed this. :)

Knock On Stone starts six months after the last chapter of Knock On Wood, just to clarify. I started prewriting this some time ago, wanting to be prepared for when the time struck to start posting this. Hope you fellas enjoy. :D

On with the story!

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Prologue

A young man walked the taiga, muttering to himself and wiping soggy underbrush from his trenchcoat. He had light-brown hair, carried a satchel hanging from his shoulder, wore a red turtleneck beneath his coat, black pants, and muddy leather boots. He readjusted his glasses, and started counting vials tucked withing his coat's inside pockets.

He pushed a rather large fern from his path, and looked around. "Come on, come on... it's been way over a year... you've got to be around here somewhere... 'less you made me search every inch of these woods for no reason."

The boy encountered a clump of prickly berry bushes, opting to avoid those. He moved undergrowth and climbed over fallen trees, feeling just about ready to head back to camp. Then he moved one last rosebush, and found what he was looking for.

On the ground, surrounded by trees, was another young man no older than he. He was staring blankly at the sky with hazel eyes, taking it all in. The trenchcoat man hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to do now. The guy on the floor wore a grey shirt, jeans, and grey boots. He looked very peaceful down there, staring up at the sky.

The trenchcoat-clad boy cleared his throat after a moment. The boy on the floor blinked, turning his head to stare at him. Trenchcoat waved. "Hey... Thomas."

The young man on the ground blinked again, getting up slowly. "Hello. Who are you?"

Trenchcoat closed his eyes, suppressing a sigh. "I... was a friend. A friend of yours. But it looks like you don't remember me."

The other boy looked guilty, wiping a few bits of grass off himself. It seemed that the ground he had been laying on was somehow not soaked thoroughly. "I'm sorry... I didn't remember my own name before you mentioned it."

Trenchcoat nodded, digging through his satchel. "Okay, well... I met you a long time ago. Three years, I think. We lived in a village, with our friend Sophie plus a couple of families and the Healer. Any of this ring a bell?"

Thomas shook his head with a frown. "No. I'm sorry."

Trenchcoat smiled. "That's okay. One day, a large group of pillagers attacked our village. We could usually keep them at bay, but there was something different about them this time around. They attacked in the middle of the night, as usual, but they looked... angrier. And were more pyromaniatic."

Thomas nodded although he was still unsure what this young man, who came seemingly out of nowhere, was talking about. Trenchcoat sighed and looked up from his satchel. "I don't know how you're going to take this, but you... you died after the attack. A roof collapsed on top of you, and you were very weak when we pulled you out of the wreckage."

"You died saving me," he muttered. "And the last thing you told us—the last thing you told me—was 'gather the sun'. And to bring... this."

Trenchcoat brought out a vial. Its contents were a golden yellow, with a gentle glow emanating from it. Thomas' eyes widened when he saw it. The man walked up to trenchcoat and took the vial. "Gather the sun," he whispered disbelievingly.

Trenchcoat smiled. "Yep. And I did just that."

Thomas uncorked the vial, looking at it in wonder. He slowly brought it up to his mouth, as if in a trance, and closed his eyes before downing the contents. A glow passed through his skin, from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. When he opened his eyes, there was a sliver of gold around his hazel irises.

The man shook his head, blinking for a moment. "Uh... J-Javer?"

Trenchcoat smiled from ear to ear. "Yeah. It's me."

Thomas dropped the vial, taking a few deep breaths. Javer hurried to his side, keeping the man upright. "Are you okay?"

"I... yes. More than okay, now." Thomas smiled at nothing in particular. "I can remember so much..." He straightened himself, taking a step back. "Thanks, Javer."

The other boy shrugged. "I wasn't about to give up on a friend's dying wish. Everyone thought I was crazy to follow your instructions. But I didn't give up." He rubbed his hands together. "Everyone will be so excited to see you again!"

Thomas opened his mouth and closed it again, hesitating. Javer frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Well..." Thomas sighed. "You do know what I am, right J?"

Javer smiled. "You're my friend, who just so happens to be some sort of spirit."

The other young man nodded slightly. "Pretty much... I've gone through many lifetimes, okay? You, and Sophie, and old man Stockton and the Healer were... one of my past lives. But I didn't exactly fulfill my purpose during that one, and a lot of people suffered for it."

Trenchcoat frowned. "Purpose?"

"The only reason I exist to begin with is to kill a demon, over and over again until the cycle breaks," Thomas explained. "And it already broke in favor of the demon, during my lifetime with you guys."

Javer nodded. "And you want to go make sure it doesn't happen again."

Thomas stared at the forest. Many faces sprung up from his memory, faces he missed dearly. He could almost picture hers among the branches... "Not exactly."

The other boy crossed his arms. "Then what's the holdup? Please, come back with me to the village. After that, then... maybe we can go gallivanting away through forests and deserts, chasing demons if you want."

Thomas chuckled, shaking his head. "Okay, I'll come with you. I owe you that much."

Javer smiled, heading back the way he came. "Alright then, let's go."

The other boy placed a hand on his shoulder, amusement tugging at his lips. "We're not going to walk all the way back to the village."

Trenchcoat frowned. "We're not?"

Thomas led him away, towards a frozen river that separated the taiga from hills and a mountain range. "No we are not."

The young man jumped over the frozen river, helping his friend do the same. They climbed up a tall hill with a small cave carved into it. Thomas stared at the cavern fondly before continuing on. There were a few trees atop the hill, plus a bunch of rotting logs and mulch. Thomas walked around this, and they stopped at the edge of the hill.

The view was incredible. A majestic mountain range hugged a dense forest and a small lake. In the center were overgrown plains covered in light snow. But what drew the most attention were the house, and the large boat. A three story home, with vines crawling up its side, cobwebs in its cracked windows and a few rotting planks, stood proudly in the middle of it all. What looked to have been a garden at some point was taken over by weeds and underbrush.

The boat stood atop four curved stone pillars, looking as weathered as the house. On its deck was a tarp covering a large rectangular area. On the side of its hull, the word 'Dragoon' was written in fading white letters. Thomas pointed at the ship. "That's how we'll be getting back to the village."

Javer couldn't stop staring at the beautiful valley before him. "This is amazing..."

Thomas slid down the hillside, walking towards the woods once he reached the bottom. Javer ran after him, trying not to fall face-first onto the muddy ground. Thomas entered the forest, looking at everything in turn. The way the sunlight filtered through the foliage, the sounds of critters running around beneath the underbrush...

The boy smiled, running full throttle through it, dodging around trees and prickly bushes. Javer reached Thomas' side panting and wiping muck from his trenchcoat. "What is it?" he asked breathlessly.

Thomas tugged on the rope ladder, testing its strength. He silently thanked its makers for being so skilled and started climbing up. "It's an airship. I helped build it with some friends of mine from my most recent past life."

Javer huffed, climbing after Thomas. "And what's an airship?"

"It's a boat that flies," he answered. "My friend Simon would get into the details, but that's not really important right now."

Thomas walked up to the tarp in the middle of the deck, untying it and moving the thick fabric aside. Beneath it was an engine and a big propeller held up with metal supports, and on top of that was a large, neatly folded piece of cloth. Thomas started unfolding the cloth, revealing it to be a balloon. Javer watched curiously, looking over the railing from time to time.

"How is this supposed to fly?" he asked.

"The first airship we built used a coal furnace to pump hot air into the balloon and to power propellers," he explained. "This one uses redstone instead to do those same things."

Javer nodded sarcastically. "Right, yes, of course, makes perfect sense."

Thomas smiled, flipping switches on the engine. The redstone came to life, glowing faintly. The engine, almost two meters long, one wide and a half tall, started whirring and groaning. Hot air blew out the top, and the propeller started spinning slowly. Thomas started tying the balloon to multiple supports on the edge of the airship's deck. The balloon slowly started inflating and rising into the air.

Trenchcoat watched the whole process curiously, staring after Thomas as the boy slipped belowdecks. Javer followed, finding his friend pushing heavy metal things out through opening in the deck and onto the ground below. "What are you doing?"

Thomas huffed as he threw the last one out. "I'm removing the cannons. We won't need them anyway. Help me dump the ammo."

Javer tried his best to drag the burlap sacks Thomas indicated out the window, but had only managed to move one halfway there by the time his friend got rid of the other three. Thomas helped him haul the sack up and out onto the ground, smiling faintly. "Thanks for your help."

The other boy took many deep breaths. "Y-you're... welcome..."

Thomas led him back up, where the balloon was fully inflated and floating proudly above the airship. Thomas walked to the very back, where a steering wheel plus a multitude of levers and buttons where installed. Thomas pushed one of the levers forward a little, and the vertical propeller sped up.

"Hold on to the railing, J," he advised. "Wouldn't want you falling off."

Trenchcoat gripped the metal railing tightly. "Yeah. Wouldn't want that."

Thomas pushed the lever further, and the airship trembled a little. Then it started rising steadily into the air. Javer looked over the railing at the ground below while his friend turned the airship towards the south and pushed a different lever forward. Both propellers behind the airship started picking up speed, pushing them over the valley.

Javer couldn't believe his eyes, feeling unable to take them off the glorious mountain range and the forests that surrounded it. Thomas smiled at his friend and sped up, heading towards the village that had been his home in a past life.

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Sarah's POV

I wandered Veridon's snow-caked streets, looking through the items the street vendors offered. The bag hanging from my shoulder was half full with eggs, wheat flour and a few bottles of milk. I bought a small sack of sugar from one of the vendors, paying and thanking him before gently placing it in my bag. I went on, purchasing a small box of candles and a cup of apple sauce.

Veridon had been busy before 'The War With Darkness', as our historians wanted to call it, but it looked to be even more so now. Everything had been rebuilt or repaired, and more people had come to either visit, help the citizens, or meet the new skeleton king.

Jack had done a great job as ruler. He tried to please everyone, so long as they were being fair, and helped the general populace whenever he could. I rarely left his side, always having someone keep an eye out for him if I wasn't able to. I didn't want that stray to get himself killed by drawing the wrong kind of attention. Thankfully, nothing had come up just yet.

I had kept myself busy with training my patrol or protecting the young skeleton king. Despite it being made up of mostly new recruits at the beginning, my troops, had quickly become the best patrol in the city. All it took were sore throats from shouting and rigorous training exercises.

Every now and then, Valory, Lila and Lady June came to visit. Jack welcomes them with open arms and lets the spiders to stay in the castle. I let myself unwind, just a tiny bit, during their visits. I get to talk with the spiders, and on rare occasions accompany them on girly outings.

Jack often complained about how strict I was, and how tired I must be. I had to explain to him multiple times that patrolling the perimeter of the city in the morning, training my troops in the afternoon, and doing excercise of my own until I felt light-headed before going to bed was not tiring.

"You're pushing yourself too hard," he told me once. We were overseeing my patrol's training. "You're tense all day, every day."

"I need to keep myself busy," I explained.

The king shook his head. "No, you need to relax. Take it easy for a while. Your troops, and your king, will thank you. Take a day off. Or, even better, a week."

I huffed, staring at my patrol. "Alright, fine. Maybe I'll take some time off. But not today."

Jack had sighed. "An empty promise is better than downright denial, I suppose," he mused.

I entered the castle, nodding at the guards on either side of the large spruce door. Once inside I took off my scarf and the gray newsboy cap on my head, stuffing them in my grocery bag. The inside of the castle was warm, despite being large and made out of stone. I shrugged off my wool jacket, throwing it over my shoulder and walking down the halls.

I wandered around for a while before entering the kitchen. Only one of the cooks was there. He looked up when I opened the door. "'Allo, general! Vat brings you to ze kitchen?"

I put down my bag on the nearest table and went to hang my jacket next to the door. "Hey, Gad. I was wondering if I could borrow one of your ovens and a few utensils."

The cook nodded. "Of course, of course. Do you need any help viz anyzing? Vould you like me to do ze baking instead?"

I shook my head. "Thanks for the offer, Gad, but I'll do it myself. Otherwise I'd just be sitting here doing nothing."

The cook nodded, going back to the vegetables he was chopping up. I carefully brought out the eggs, and the other materials before walking towards a cupboard and taking a bowl. I preheated the oven and mixed ingredients in silence, reading a recipe my father gave me the other day.

Bringing out the smallest cake pan available, I poured the mix in before opening the oven and sliding it inside. Then I took another bowl and got to work on making some frosting. Cracking more eggs and measuring more sugar, I mixed everything up with some butter from the pantry until it became a paste.

Time seemed to slow down as I waited for the cake to finish baking, opening the box of candles and taking one out. I fiddled with them for a little while until the timer on the oven dinged. Using mitts, I brought out the cake and placed it on the table. Gad helped me take the cake out of its pan and onto a plate, where I let it cool for some time before adding frosting.

I picked up the cake and put it in a small cardboard box, thanking Gad for his help before taking the box, and my stuff, out of the kitchen. I walked down the halls towards the dining room near the back of the castle. It was a large room, built for the feasts that were held there during celebrations and such, but for now it remained empty and quiet.

My footsteps echoed across the walls as I walked over and sat down on one of the round, polished andesite tables. I put my stuff on the floor beside me and took the cake out of its cardboard prison, placing it gently in front of me. I took the candle I was playing with out of my pocket and placed it in the center of the cake.

Then I got up and walked over to the wall, taking one of the torches back to my table. I used the torch to light the candle on the cake before returning it to the wall. I sat back down and watched the small flame dance atop the candle with my chin on the table. I was sure the cake tasted amazing, knowing how great my father's recipes are, but I didn't feel hungry at all.

More footsteps echoed around the room. Jack walked up to my table, dragging over a chair and sitting beside me. "Finally. I thought I'd never catch you out of your armor."

I huffed, and the candle flickered a bit before returning. "I thought I might as well take that break now, to get you off my back."

Jack tapped the table, staring at me. I wouldn't meet his eyes, simply looking up at the candle. "Why now? What's so special about today?"

I blinked at the candle, holding back a few tears. "Nothing. Like I said, I just wanted to keep you off my back."

The king turned to stare at the cake for a moment. "Whose birthday is it?" he asked gently. "Your dad's?"

"No," I answered flatly. "If it were his, I'd be celebrating with him, not alone in the castle."

The stray nodded, thinking for a moment. "Is it Thomas'?"

I closed my eyes, swallowing the bitter sorrow that swam up, conjured by memories. "Well?" he pressed when I didn't answer.

"Yes," I muttered after a moment. "Or so we thought. He couldn't remember his exact birthday, so we decided that today was about as good as any day."

Jack nodded. "Is he why you like to 'keep busy'?"

I stared at a suddenly interesting wall out the corners of my eyes. "Maybe. Mostly."

The young king sighed, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Tiring yourself out isn't the best way to cope with his loss. Doing that to other people won't do either."

"I know," I muttered. "But it helps."

Jack rubbed my back, staring at the cake. "I'm sure he would have loved that. Did you make it?"

I nodded. "One of my dad's recipes. Applesauce cake."

The stray smiled. "Thomas did like apples, didn't he?"

"Mmhmm."

We were quiet for some time. The little flame had burned through half the candle, wax forming a tiny pool around it. Jack squeezed me a little. "What do you plan to do with the cake?"

I shook my head. "Take it if you want. I'm not really sure to be honest."

The young king blew out the candle, removing it and the rapidly cooling wax from the cake. "Why don't you bring it over? I wanted to go visit Simon today. I'm sure he and Izabell will appreciate it. Not to mention Flick and Ara. And Snowdrift."

I heaved a sigh, putting the cake back in its box. "Alright. It's already cold, but I guess Iza could reheat it. Do I need to wear something specific for our visit?"

Jack shook his head, getting up. "Wear whatever's comfortable. You're not going to protect me, remember; you're on your day off. I'll be waiting with Hendershot at the front door in twenty minutes, Okay?"

I nodded, placing the cake inside my grocery bag. "Okay. I'll be there in fifteen."

"Why don't you take your time? Come meet us a little late, y'know, to get on Hendershot's nerves. You're-"

"I know, I know," I interrupted. "I'm on my day off."

The young king smiled. "Yep. We'll be waiting for you at the door." He started walking away before stopping for a moment. Jack turned to look at me. "Try to find a different way to cope. I don't think Thomas gave his life just so you could waste it like this."

I simply watched as he turned around and walked away, utterly speechless.

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Izabell's POV

Ara walked all over the house, dusting things off and brooming spots she missed earlier. I finished washing the last plate and dried my hands on my apron, watching the monster at work. I was hesitant to move in with Simon, not knowing if it would be awkward or crowded or whatever. But eventually, I decided that I didn't want to stay at Veridon or go back home, so here I am.

The monster became Flicker's substitute parent, teaching the baby creeper what was what. It was a bumpy road, over which many pretty vases and plates were smashed, but it got easier after a while. Simon wasn't here every day, and when he was it was only in the afternoon. After the house which evolved into a small mansion was finished, The creeper boy focused his attention on work.

He walked through the forest to Globe Chapel City, took the railway to the creeper clan capital, Malachite, and went to the building where king Adam's engineers did all their... engineering. I didn't like how far he had to go, or that he walked through the forest to the city. I had told him this many times, but he always said that it would be fine and that it was a safe route.

The head engineers had tasked him, after the 'smashing success' that were his airships and their artillery, to focus on weapons development. Simon had been exited at first, but little by little that energy went away and he came home more and more tired. I felt a little ignored, since he usually came back too tired to pay me any attention, but I still wanted to be supportive.

Someone opened the front door. I took off my apron and walked out of the kitchen. Simon closed the door behind him, shrugging off his leather jacket and placing it on the hanger next to him. I smiled, walking over and giving him a hug.

The creeper boy hugged me back, smiling softly. "I'm so glad to be out of there..."

I drew away a little, staring at him. "Why? What happened?"

Simon heaved a sigh. "I'm tired of designing and making and testing weapons. I've been working on this and that, hurrying up with sketches and blueprints, putting out fires and taking the blame for anything that goes wrong. It's exhausting."

"Aw." I gave him a kiss, hugging the creeper boy tighter. "Well, you're out early, so that's good. When are Jack and Sarah coming over?"

"Um..." He checked his watch, made by himself of course. "In about an hour. I gotta go take a bath real quick. How's everyone?"

"Ara has been helping me clean the house. Flicky and Snowdrift are playing outside. Should I bring them back?"

Simon placed his chin on my head. "Mmm... let them play for a while longer. Ten minutes, then have them cleaned up."

I giggled, moving my head out from under his. "Okay. Go take a bath, then. You're smelly."

The creeper boy smiled, kissing my forehead. "I love you. I'll be the one cooking today, Alright? Been a while since I've had the chance to."

I pushed him away playfully. "Okay. Love you too."

Ara hissed a greeting, walking past Simon, who hissed back. "I think I'm finishhhed with dusssting and brooming," she told me. "Isss there anything elssse for me to do?"

"Could you wrangle up Snowdrift and Flicky?" I asked. "Simon told me to let them play a little more, but I know how long it'll take to give them baths, so I want to get on with that."

The creeper 'smiled'. "Sssure. I'll be right back."

I nodded, watching the monster amble away. I walked back into the kitchen, taking stuff out of the pantry. Carrots, potatoes, broccoli, mixed spices, plates, and glasses. I also brought out a few meats, wrapped in brown paper, from our little fridge. Simon told me that he wanted to do the cooking, but I wanted to help as much as possible.

Ara came back after a while, with Snowdrift and a muddy Flicker in tow. I knelt down, giving my snow fox a hug. He had grown quickly, and a lot. He was the size of an adult fox two months ago, and now he was almost the size of a dog. "Hi, buddy! Did you have fun outside?"

Snowdrift yelped, rubbing his nose against my cheek. I giggled, petting his head. Ara was hissing with Flicker. The baby creeper had also grown quite a bit. From only being around knee-height, he went to being a meter-ish tall. "We're going to give you guys a bath, okay?" I told them. "We have guests coming over and I don't want you all filthy."

My snow fox sat down obediently. Flicker stared at the ground, hissing in disappointment. Ara nudged him. "Let'sss go. No arguing or complaining, pleassse."

Flicky nodded sadly, walking behind us as I led him and Snowdrift upstairs to the bathroom. I filled the tub a fourth of the way and helped the baby creeper climb in. Snowdrift hopped inside, making a splash. Thankfully I didn't get too wet. Ara and I picked up sponges and poured soap on them. I had to help Ara, what with her not having hands.

We scrubbed those two until they were squeaky clean, despite their protests. We dried them out, then I combed snowdrift's hair back into place while Ara talked with Flicky, hopefully telling him to not cause a ruckus just for today. I got up, dusting white fur off my clothes.

"I'm going to hop in the shower real quick too. Think you could handle them both for a while?" I asked Ara.

The creeper smiled to the best of her abilities. "Of courssse. Sssnowdrift is alwaysss on hisss bessst behavior, and I'm sssure Flicker will be too. Isssn't that right?"

The baby creeper nodded enthusiastically. "Yessssss."

I giggled, petting his head. "Okay. I'll be back in a while, then."

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A while later

I sat restlessly at the table, watching Simon cook. I had been banned from the kitchen for tonight after trying many times to help him. "Z, please, I rarely have the time to do this anymore. Let me help you for once."

So I walked over to the bookcase, picked out a book, and flipped through its pages without much enthusiasm. I got bored of it quickly, putting it away again and resorting to toying with a bang that hung over my eyes, an escapee from the bun where I usually kept them. Flicker and Snowdrift were napping on the couch, and Ara was taking her own shower.

The sun was starting its journey back down from the sky, but it was still plenty bright inside. I heard a knock on our door, and promptly got up to answer it. I tucked the strand of hair behind my ear, made sure I hadn't picked up any dirt from somewhere, and opened the door.

Jack, Sarah, and one of the other generals greeted me. "Hi guys! Come on in."

The young skeleton king smiled. "Thank you for letting us visit."

I smiled. "You know we'd never turn down a visit from our friends." Then I looked over him at the man in flashy armor standing a short distance behind them. "Uh, would you like to come in too, general?"

The skeleton hesitated before shaking his head. "No thank you. I was simply escorting his majesty. I'm sure general Sarah will take good care of him in my absence. Have a pleasant afternoon."

Sarah hummed. Jack gave him a short bow. "Thank you, Hendershot. You too."

The general nodded and walked away. I stood aside to let our friends in before closing the door. "How have you guys been?" I took a closer look at Sarah. "Wow. I'm surprised to see you in something that isn't chainmail or blast-proof."

The skeleton girl sighed, placing a cardboard box on the couch. "Yep. Jack's been bugging me for ages to get out of my shell. I brought you guys this."

I opened the box. Inside was a pretty little cake coated in white frosting. It smelled like apples, and it looked pretty good despite being a bit cold. "Ooh! Thank you. I didn't know you baked."

Sarah shrugged. "I don't, usually. Only on special occasions."

I nodded, closing the box. "Is it for Thomas? His birthday's today, isn't it?"

The skeleton girl gave me a sad smile that resembled a grimace more than anything. "Yeah. I wasn't planning on eating it, and Jack didn't want it to go to waste, so now it's yours."

I smiled at my friend, picking up the box. "I'm sure he would've loved it."

Jack took off his cloak, hanging it next to Simon's jacket. A smile stretched his lips when he caught sight of Flicker and Snowdrift passed out on the couch. "That's something you don't see every day. I thought that little creeper hadn't slept since he came out of the egg."

I smiled, petting both sleeping beauties. Snowdrift stretched his neck for more pats. "Yeah. They were playing outside all day, so it makes sense that they're tired."

Sarah slipped off her jacket and cap, hanging them too. "Where's Simon? At work?"

"In the kitchen," I told her. "Let's go say hi."

I brought the cake over, placing it gently on the countertop. I tapped Simon's shoulder, getting his attention. "Jack and Sarah are here."

The creeper boy smiled, putting a few things down and walking out of the kitchen. I took the opportunity to cook in his place while he greeted our guests. Simon was amused to find me mashing the potatoes.

He grabbed my shoulders and steered me out of the kitchen. "Z, I told you about a dozen times, I want to do the cooking for today."

"I only wanted to help," I complained.

Simon landed a stealthy kiss on the top of my head. "I know, and I'm thankful for that. Go chat with Sarah."

I decided against arguing, and gestured to the cake instead. "Sarah brought that. It's a cake. I don't know if you want to reheat it for dessert or put it in the fridge for later."

The creeper boy stared at the cardboard box. "I'm not going to want any tonight. You?"

I shook my head. Simon nodded. "I'll put it in the fridge for later, then."

I sat down with the skeleton cousins, and we started talking about recent events. How Kaitlin was here for Flicky's first word, which was 'yessssss', how Jack had convinced Sarah to relax, tales of patrols and such. Ara came down after a while and sat with us while we waited for Simon to finish up. The sun crawled its way closer and closer to the horizon.

I got up to turn on the lights, coming back to find Simon serving everyone's plates. "Sorry it took so long," he muttered. "I got into a fight with a nasty potato."

Jack smiled. "That's alright, Simon. I'm sure it will be worth the wait."

Sarah stared at her food, heaving a sigh before shoveling potato mash into her mouth with a fork. It wasn't like her to be so apathetic, but maybe it was just her unwinding from all the stress of leading a patrol in a busy city. Maybe it was her memories that made her so sad.

We sat down to eat, talking more between mouthfuls of Simon's cooking. Snowdrift had been woken up by the smell of porkchops, and had crawled over to us begging for some. We each gave him a tiny piece, and the not-so-little-anymore snow fox scampered upstairs to feast. The moon had already risen some when a knock on our door surprised us.

Simon got up to answer it, muttering to himself. I excused myself from the table and walked after him, making sure the creeper didn't notice. A boy, probably our age or a year younger, stood outside with a nervous look. I recognized him to be one of the people who worked with Simon.

The creeper nodded at him. "Hey, Tim. What brings you here at this hour?"

The boy frowned. "Andrews wants us to have the blueprints and material list for proyect Javelin ready by tonight. So... we need you to come back to the lab."

Simon tensed ever so slightly. "I thought that was due tomorrow."

'Tim' looked apologetic as he spoke. "I did too, but he moved the date."

I could see that Simon wasn't pleased. His hand was tucked in his pocket, curled into a fist. "Alright. Is everyone going to be there?"

The man shook his head. "Carla isn't, but Jones is already there."

The creeper boy nodded. "Okay. Give me a moment, alright Tim?"

The young man nodded, and Simon closed the door gently. I walked over to him. "Who was it?"

Simon heaved a sigh. "A friend from work. Good old Jonesy sent poor Tim to deliver the news that I have to go back to the lab, knowing that I wouldn't be happy but that I wouldn't humiliate Tim by saying no."

"Oh." The creeper boy took his jacket, slipping it on. "When will you be back?"

"I'm not sure," he told me. "I hope not too late. It should only take a couple hours."

I crossed my arms, looking him up and down. "Okay. Stay safe."

Simon brought out his old pocket knife, showing it to me before putting it back in his jacket. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

I followed him back to the dining room. "Sorry, guys, but there's something I have to deal with at work," he announced. "I hope you don't mind if I take my leave early."

Jack smiled. "Go ahead, it's fine. Thank you for your hospitality." Sarah muttered her agreement.

The creeper nodded. "Have a good night."

We walked back towards the door. I hugged him tightly, earning a gentle kiss. "Goodnight, Z. I'll be back at some point."

I smiled, but I'm not sure if it was sincere enough. I didn't like him being out at this hour, since monsters frequent the woods. "Goodnight, Simon. Bye."

Simon opened the door, walking away with the other man. "Alright, Tim, let's get this over with as soon as possible."

I closed the door once they were out of sight, heaving a sigh. We finished dinner quietly. I showed the skeleton cousins the rooms I had cleaned out for them before going back downstairs to help Ara take Flicker up. I bid them goodnight and walked over to mine and Simon's room.

I opened the dresser, changing into my night clothes and climbing into bed. Snowdrift followed me, curling up beside me like he usually did when Simon wasn't here. I caressed my snow fox's head, feeling lonely in the dark room.

While I lay on the bed, unable to sleep, my mind wandered to the days when Simon was with me as much as possible, when we stilled lived as a group in the valley. Before we had to travel around the overworld to fight a demon. I wondered briefly, before succumbing to sleep, if everyone missed those days like I did. Sarah definitely does, and Kaitlin had said so before when she came over.

My dreams were pleasant, set in that time where everything was simpler. When it was just the ten of us in our wooden house in the middle of a valley. When I didn't worry every night if a zombie had gotten Simon on the way back from work. When Thomas was alive, and everyone was together.

I missed those days. More than anything in the world.

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Author's Notes

It feel great to start writing again, although I never really stopped.

I seem to be struggling with these a little bit (blame my desire to make them 5k words long), so I'm going to be posting them once a week to give me some time. On Fridays, to have something else for you fellas to look forward to. :) And, if I'm late, sorry.

Well, well, well. It seems someone was brought back from limbo. But he's not going to see his friends? What's going to happen in this village Javer lives at when they arrive? Time (and me, of course) will tell.

I think I did well enough making this chapter as melancholy as possible. I'm very happy with how it turned out. :)

Thank you all for your time, patience, and support. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	2. The Meet-Up

Author's Notes

Chapter two, written and posted. Despite my occasional complaints about having to write such long chapters, I really do enjoy rereading them, and I hope you do too. :D

Now, Reviews!

GiggiEba, Yep, he's back! Let me make something clear; I didn't steal any ideas from you. I had the name 'Sophie' long before you came up with STS. Eh, don't worry about it.

ScarOfHerobrine, heh, thanks. Hah, I find it funny that that was the second thing on your mind, although Darkness (along with Herobrine) is dead at the mo'... thank you so much and also! I read 'To Walk', and let me tell you, it only took three lines for you to catch me.

For anyone and everyone reading this, go check out 'To Walk' from ScarOfHerobrine on Wattpad! It's really great.

Also, thank you to Chestia413 for favoriting and following the story!

This is something else that I missed, answering reviews at the start of every chapter. And now, On with the story!

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Eba's POV

I wrote down the items to be purchased, calculating the price in my head and giving the man his change. Working at a general store wasn't ideal, but it was something. At least I didn't have to pay rent for the apartment. I took another orange from under the counter, feeling Blight absorb its life, leaving it squishy and rotten in my hand.

Throwing it with the others in the trash can, I wiped my hands on my apron and thoroughly cleaned them with sweet-berry alcohol. I wrote down more items and gave more change to a different customer, tapping the counter impatiently and staring at the clock.

_Twenty more minutes. Then we have to go clean the apartment._

_Hmph_.

Blight had been cranky with life for a while. He complained often about being bored, and that he felt too cooped up. Also, it turns out, demons are expensive to maintain. We spend a lot of money on fruits and vegetables to keep Blight's headache at bay. We regularly went on a sort of vacation, heading to any nearby forests so my demon could absorb life from the underbrush.

The minutes ticked by at an unbearably slow rate. I wanted nothing more than to go home and get as much rest as possible before cleaning the apartment. Thankfully, I was a tidy person, so it wouldn't take too long. I wrote down more things and gave his change to the customer. It wasn't exceptionally busy today, which was great.

The clock's long needle finally reached 2, indicating that my shift was over. I finished dealing with a customer and took off my apron, walking into the back room. A coworker was in there, enjoying a sandwich. I hung my apron on one of the hooks lining the wall, then discreetly hid the last four oranges in my purse which I bought specifically for this reason.

I picked up my purse and waved at my coworker. "You're up on the second counter."

The guy nodded, swallowing a bite of his lunch. "I'll get to it in a minute. After I'm done with this."

Slinging my purse on my shoulder, I warped back to my apartment. Yes, it was tiring, but I didn't have time to walk back. Blight made himself a shadow, stretching dramatically and breathing in. I walked over to the kitchen, frowning at the pile of dishes in the sink.

"I'd help you with those if the water I touched wouldn't become toxic," Blight muttered.

I smiled at my demon. "I know. Could you start brooming instead?"

Blight nodded, picking up the metal broom I brought for him, and going over to sweep the main room.

My apart- our, apartment, was pretty big. It's walls are made of concrete, painted a gorgeous violet color. The roof and floor are some kind of smooth grey stone. The kitchen, located next to the door, is of decent size. The living/dining room in the center of the flat is also pretty big. The table has room for eight people, and we have a couple of couches near the the window, which by the way takes up most of that wall, giving us an amazing view of the city. We have a full bathroom, a bedroom, and even a guest room. Plus, I didn't have to pay rent. All of this courtesy of lady Cassidy, the elderly queen of the endermen.

It took us about a half hour to clean the entire apartment despite its size. I started setting the table, placing a bowl as a centerpiece which Blight filled with fruit. I had tried numerous times to place flowers in vases, but my demon always ended up rotting them while I wasn't looking. So I eventually gave up.

I walked into the kitchen, thinking about what I could serve for dinner. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten anything for lunch. Heaving a sigh, I brought out a pot from the cupboard, plus some vegetables and chicken from our small redstone-powered fridge. I made myself some chicken soup, enjoying a steaming bowl of it at the table.

Blight was pacing around the apartment and getting on my nerves. "Could you stop that?"

My demon slowed and stared at me. "Stop what?"

"Walking around the apartment," I explained. "I know you're not an 'inside demon', but at least try to adapt to this situation. Yes, it gets boring, and you're cooped up a lot and often, and I'm sorry. But this is just how we live now. Our friends are coming over, so I don't want to hear any complaints from you for the rest of the day. Please?"

Blight sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright. I won't complain, promise. When is everyone arriving?"

I turned my head, looking at the clock on the wall. "In forty minutes. I'll finish lunch, and then I'll go take a bath. Okay?"

My demon nodded, walking over to lean against the wall as I ate. Our friends and I had decided to meet every three months after the... the 'War with Darkness'. Blight and I had hosted the first, Simon the second and third, and now it was our turn again. We didn't mind much, though; we liked the company, seeing as the apartment is pretty quiet and lonely for just us.

I finished my lunch, hopped into the shower, and then sat down in the couch after I finished to wait for everyone.

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Kaitlin's POV

I stood beside my mom, waiting for her to give yet another speech about the future of the Nether. She did this every week, to 'boost morale'. I found it just boring and tiresome. About a third the remaining population of nether mobs were milling about beneath the tall podium where my mom and I stood, which was to be expected as she'd told everyone this would be an important speech. Although, to her, every speech was important.

Theridas stood beside us, holding Ella's hand. Our royal servant had become a foster parent for the little ghast girl, and she went wherever he did. She looked lovely in her frilly white gown, her hair tied in a long milky braid with red flowers tucked between the strands. Theridas looked good himself, wearing the old cape thing from the monster armor and a maroon suit.

Mom adjusted her dress' shoulders. Another thing I couldn't believe from my mom; how she could walk around in such long dark-red dresses without boiling in her own sweat. She cleared her throat just loud enough for the people in front to go quiet, and little by little so did the ones in the back. The crowd was divided according to the clans the mobs belonged to; blazes, ghasts, magma cubes, and zombie pigmen.

Mom's gaze swept over the groups with a gentle smile. "First of all, thank you, for sparing the time to be with us today. I mentioned last week how important this meeting would be." Her voice reverberated off the walls of the cavern.

She took a deep breath. "All four kingdoms have been working hard to rebuild since that wretched demon attacked our peaceful realm. We lost friends, and family." My heart ached at mom's words, and from the way that frown tugged at her lips, I knew she missed dad too.

"It has been difficult, but we've managed," she went on. "However, a clan cannot heal without a ruler. Darkness took from us four monarchs, whom we will all grieve dearly."

Muttering broke out among the crowd, which my mom silenced by raising her hand. "And I think now, is a good time to appoint new rulers. Archibald of the magma cubes will take his father's place as king, effective immediately. In the same manner, Lara with her younger sister Diana at her side will become the pigmen's new ruler."

The muttering came back, louder this time, from the ghasts. "Sadly, for the ghasts," my mom continued, "there is no apparent heir. While we find someone capable of ruling the ghast clan, the blazes offer to take you under our wing. Of course, if you wish."

The ghasts exchanged words amongst themselves, the prouder ones getting into arguments, before one finally stepped closer. "I think I speak for most of us, and the few who had to stay at home to care for the little ones, when I say that we will gladly accept your offer lady Anastasia."

Mom smiled. "Then we are happy to welcome you as honorary blazes. There was another matter regarding the ghasts that we desperately need to address. Darkness didn't just take away those we love; he tore down one of the oldest buildings of our realm. The Glowing Fortress. And with it, he destroyed the homes of many people gathered here today, not to mention more lives."

Little Ella sniffled, turning to hug Theridas tightly. The blaze knelt down to comfort the weeping child. My mother went on after a few minutes. "A clan cannot heal without a ruler, and it cannot grow without a capital. "The blazes offer our expertise in creating structures from nether brick to build the ghasts a new fortress, so their new monarch will have a throne from which to rule. We will work together with the ghasts to accomplish this, and hopefully, with the other clans."

The newly appointed king and queen took a step forward. Archibald bowed. "The Magma cubes will be honored to help however we can."

Lara nodded respectfully. "As will we, in due time."

The people clapped, and my mother thanked them. "I believe this concludes our meeting. I hope you all will join us next week. May our stars meet again."

The monarchs and some of the common folk answered the farewell while the rest spoke amongst themselves, heading back home. I followed mom down to the ground. Theridas kissed the top of the little ghast girl's head, standing up. "Come on, Ella."

We began the trek back towards the fortress, and I took the opportunity to walk up to mom. "Mother?"

She turned her head. "Yes, nether-plum?"

"I was wondering if you'd allow me to visit my friends in the overworld for a couple of days," I began. "I've done all my chores and have been very pleasantly company if I do say so myself."

Mom hummed in a thoughtful manner. "I suppose you have been, when you agree with what I ask. But you have been rather difficult to work with during your teachings and these meetings."

A nervous chuckle escaped me. "Well, maybe a little, but I didn't complain during this or the last meeting."

She smiled, raising an eyebrow. "But you did have that deathly look of utter boredom etched across your face during both occasions."

I shook my head. "Mooom, that doesn't count..."

Mom chuckled. "It certainly does, young lady." She thought for a minute before continuing. "So you've done all your chores for today?"

"For today, tomorrow, and the day after," I answered proudly.

She nodded, leaving me in suspense for a moment. "I suppose you're old enough to start making these decisions on your own. You may go, but Theridas will accompany you to the portal."

I gave her a tight hug. "Thanks, mom!"

I let go of her and ran up to Theridas, surprising him and Ella. "Mother wants you to accompany me to the nether portal."

Our royal servant frowned. "Right now?"

"Yes, right now," I answered.

Theridas sighed, looking down at Ella. "Will you be okay going back to the fortress with Lady Anastasia, Ella?"

The little girl thought for a moment, staring from her foster parent to me, then to my mom. She gave the slightest nod and whispered "okay".

Theridas kissed the top of her head before guiding the ghast girl to mom. I grabbed Theridas's wrist, dragging him along as I began sprinting towards the fortress. I waved goodbye to Ella and my mom, Theridas doing the same while struggling to catch up to me.

Mom smiled, taking Ella's hand. "Come along, little one. Maybe Jadric will have something tasty for us in the kitchen, or perhaps Monsul could have a present for you."

I left Theridas behind at the other side of the bridge connecting the nether fortress to the mainland. To be fair, he kept up for quite some time. I rushed up flights of stairs and down corridors, bursting into my room. I brought out a suitcase, choosing two sets of warm pants and long-sleeved tops as well as a dress, just in case.

I was having trouble choosing one of two cute hats when Theridas finally arrived, poking his head through the door. He was still catching his breath as he spoke. "Princess... was it really necessary... for us to run all the way back?"

I rolled my eyes at him, opting to take both hats. "Theridas, I fear becoming a parent has cost you your edge. I remember how ragged I ran you years ago, and you could sort of keep up with me then. Now, though, it really doesn't look that way."

"Foster parent, Princess," he corrected.

"Please, with the way you are with Ella, it's almost like she's the fruit of your union with your other half," I joked. He visibly shrank back at my last couple of words, and I suddenly remembered. "Sorry," I muttered. "It slipped out."

Theridas sighed. "It's fine, Princess. You'd think that after a year I would have gotten over Pepper completely. But she certainly left a nasty gap in my heart."

"Still," I muttered. "Should've been more careful."

I walked over, picking out more clothing. I ended up with two more sets of tops and jeans, plus a backup dress. My suitcase looked like it would burst. Theridas walked over, picking it up. "Do you really need this many clothes Princess? How long are you planning on being away for?"

"Maybe a week," I answered, walking into my large closet to change into something warmer. The overworld was cold, especially during this time of year. Although, really, the concept of time over here was about as accurate as guesstimating when a ghast would shriek.

Theridas frowned. "Has your mother approved of you being away for so long?"

"Mom said that I was old enough to make these kinds of decisions," I told him, "and I've decided to spend a week with my friends. But do inform mom of this, and ask her not to come fetch me."

The royal servant sighed. "I will, Princess."

I tucked my tiara securely on my head, walking out of the closet. "I'll carry my own suitcase, Theridas, but thank you."

"Are you sure?" he asked, lowering it to the ground. "It's quite heavy."

"I'm sure-" I began, before realizing that the suitcase was heavier than anticipated. "Uh... maybe you could help me carry it to the portal."

Theridas chuckled, picking my luggage back up. "Of course, Princess. Lead the way."

We walked down more sets of stairs and corridors, passing by many castle residents and servants. One of the maids smiled flirtatiously at my escort. "Hey, Theridas. Think you'll be free later today?"

The royal servant grimaced, shaking his head. "No, sorry. Lady Anastasia has me running errands left and right, plus I have to make sure Ella doesn't cause any trouble."

The maid tilted her head, her smile turning sad but understanding. "Aw, that sweet thing would never. Alright, maybe some other day then?"

"Maybe," Theridas answerd. "You'll be the first to know when I have some free time."

She brightened, smiling widely again. "Great! See you around!"

We walked on, and I waited for us to get a little distance between her before speaking. "So, not over her yet, are we? Looks to me like you're scouting out some new territory for yourself."

The blaze shook his head. "No, that's not true. _She_ wants something with _me_, not the other way around. She's actually been at it for a few weeks. I'm surprised she hasn't let up, knowing that I'm taking care of Ella."

"Right, right, sure," I said, patting his arm. "Just don't shrug her away, alright? It might be good for you to find someone who can help you get over Pepper."

We walked quietly the rest of the way, stopping in front of the unlit nether portal that opened up in Globe Chapel City. I lit the portal with my flames, watching its purple sheen ripple for a moment before taking my suitcase from Theridas. "Bye! Tell my mom and Ella I'll miss them! You too!"

"Have fun princess," he answered with a bow. "I'll be sure to relay your message. And stay out trouble, please? For once?"

I scoffed, feigning indignation. "Theridas! When have I ever gotten in trouble before?"

"That time when you blew up one of the ovens," he listed, "or when you led a group of ghast cubs into the fortress, or when you sneaked off from your lectures, or-"

"Okay, Okay, I get it!" I waved farewell, walking quickly through the portal and into the overworld. The cold hit me almost immediately, making me wish I had even warmer clothing back home.

The enderman guard stationed at the portal, George, smiled. "Welcome back, Princess. Been a while."

I smiled back at him. "Hi, and it has. I'm visiting my friends today. Could you remind me again where the Sapphire Apartments building is?"

"Of course," he answered. "Right this way. Let me carry your luggage; it looks quite heavy."

George led me down some streets, telling me which streets to take as we went along. I made a mental note to remember the directions so I could find my way back to the portal on my own if necessary. We reached the tall apartment complex, and I bid George goodbye before walking into the lobby, lugging my suitcase with difficulty.

I went up to the receptionist. "Hi, I'm here to visit a friend."

The woman smiled. "Of course. Your name and the apartment you'll be going to?"

"Kaitlin Flara, the gemstone suite," I answered.

The receptionist's eyes widened a little. "You're princes Kaitlin? Are you visiting Eba Delgado?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she's my friend. Am I free to go?"

She composed herself quickly. "Of course. Here's a card for the elevator so you don't have to take the stairs."

I took the thin little metal slab. It had little dents at the bottom end, and instructions carved into it. I thanked the eceptonist, wobbling over to the elevator and taking it up the six floors up to Eba's apartment. The whole building took up an entire block, and was seven floors high, made up of dozens of luxury apartments.

I walked down the corridor, knocking on Eba's door once I reached it. It took a moment, but the enderg-woman, finally opened up. "Kait! It's so good to see you!"

I dropped my suitcase, giving her a hug. "Hey! It's great to see you too. Am I the first one?"

Eba let go, taking my stuff inside and muttering about how heavy it was. "Yeah, as always. Could you close the door?"

"Sure." I shut the spruce door, and Blight came into existence leaning against a wall.

The demon smiled. "Hello, Kait."

"Hey there, Blight," I answered. "Good to see you."

"Likewise, though I was unsure it would be that way for you," he added.

"Don't be dramatic," Eba scolded jokingly. "Kait, did you bring your entire wardrobe along with you? This thing weighs more than two dozen stone bricks. How long are you staying over this time?"

"You'll be dealing with me for a week," I answered. "And I may have gone slightly overboard with my luggage."

"A week? That's great! And 'slightly' isn't really the word I'd use," the enderwoman said, walking over to the kitchen. An enticing smell drifted over from a pot, which Eba stirred.

"Well, it's the correct word to use. What're you making?" I asked.

"Chicken and vegetable soup, plus there's a roast in the oven. It took me a long time to prepare it, especially with our resident demon here not being able to touch anything—not that I'm blaming you Blight," she added quickly. "Just an observation."

Blight huffed, looking out the window. "Sounds delicious. How's life been treating you two?" I asked.

"It's been dull," the demon answered. "And tedious."

"I can't argue with that," Eba muttered. "Especially since Blight has to rot things to stay alive. And you?"

I sighed. "Honestly, kind of the same. There's a lot of stuff happening in the nether. Most of it is politics and building, which mom wants me to either take part of or supervise. I've also been getting 'homeschooled' by some of the fortress servants. The lectures are looong and boring, but I have to endure it because according to mom I 'won't be ready otherwise'."

Eba walked back out of the kitchen, plopping down on her couch. "Ready for what?"

"She always says 'for the worst' when I ask her," I answered. "And that's it."

"What are the lectures about?" Blight asked.

I huffed. "More politics, and history, ethics, self defense and strategic thinking. Plus cooking."

"Perhaps the queen wants you to be ready for when you have to take over as ruler of the blaze clan," the demon suggested. "It would make sense."

"My mom's going to be queen for a long time yet," I told him, a warning in my voice. "But I guess it could be true."

Eba got up from the couch. "Well, whatever the case is... could you help me in the kitchen?"

I smiled, walking after her. "Sure. At least I'll get to put some of my knowledge to use."

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Izabell's POV

We took the elevator up to Eba's apartment, with Snowdrift curled up in my arms. He was getting too heavy for this, but the snow fox refused to use a leash, so I had to carry him everywhere in the city. Ara and Flicker came with us, freaking out a few people on the way. Simon had to explain multiple times that they were our companions and a threat to no one.

The creeper led us down the hall once we reached the fifth floor, knocking on Eba's door. Some one turned the lock a few seconds later, and opened it a little. Eba smiled at us from inside, fully opening the door. "Hi! Sorry it took so long to open the door. Blight has to hide every time someone knocks because it would be troublesome for people to know I have a demon."

"It's fine, Eba," Simon assured her. She gave him a hug, which the creeper returned stiffly before gesturing for us to come in. I got my own hug, as did our monster companions. Snowdrift got cuddles, which he didn't mind at all.

Kaitlin popped out of the kitchen, smiling widely at us and especially at Flicker. "Flicky!"

She ran over, dropping to her knees in front of the baby creeper and huggin him tightly. The not-so-little-anymore monster hissed in contempt, closing his dark eyes. "I've missed you!" The blaze woman looked up at us. "And you guys too," she added quickly.

I smiled, helping her up. "It's fine, Kait. I'm glad you managed to visit again this time!"

"Me too," she answered. "I get to stay for a whole week as well!"

"Really?" I asked. "That's great! Are you going to stay with Eba?"

Kaitlin and the enderwoman exchanged a glance. "You can have the guest room if you want," she offered.

Kaitlin pursed her lips. "Well... maybe I could stay with you guys?" she asked me.

I smiled at her. "Of course you can! The house has been finished for a month, so there won't be any more loud hammering noises bothering you."

"Well, it's mostly finished," Simon put in. An exasperated sigh escaped me as he continued. "I want to build an underground workshop, like the one we had back in our valley, but more... refined. Better."

"But I'm sure the work on that won't be until next month," I assured Kait. "Right, Simon?"

My boyfriend caught the warning in my voice, wrapping an arm around me and kissing the top of my head. "Of course, we still don't have the funds to undertake such a proyect just yet."

"Oh. Okay, well, I guess I'm staying with you," Kait agreed. "You don't mind, do you Eba?"

The enderwoman smiled. "Of course not, it's fine. Why don't you guys sit down, catch up, while I finish with dinner? It's almost done anyway."

Simon let go of me as the rest our convoy walked over to the living room section. "Well, forgive me, but I have to leave you guys now. I'm expected back at the lab."

Eba frowned. "Really? You're not staying?"

"No," Simon answered sadly. "I just came to drop them off, and will be back to pick them up. Hope you can have fun without me," he added, giving me a hug.

"We'll manage," I said, hugging him tightly.

The creeper waved goodbye to everyone, closing the door behind him. I walked over and sat down next to Kait, who sat Flicker on her lap. "So why couldn't he stay?" the blaze princess asked me.

"Work," I answered with a roll of my eyes. "They run him ragged in the engineering lab he works at in Malachite."

"But he was doing fine last time I came by," Kaitlin said with a worried frown.

"That's what he says," I told her with a sigh. "You know Simon. But he always comes back more and more tired, not to mention tense and stressed."

"Oh. That's a shame." The blaze princess caressed Flicky's green head. "And what does he do in that lab?"

I placed my head in my hands. "The team he works with is in charge of weapons development. I think it was... two months ago when they were designing better cannons for the airships, and I heard that now they're working on something called 'Proyect Javelin'."

"What's 'Proyect Javelin'?" Kaitlin asked.

I heaved a sigh. "I don't know. I haven't had the chance to ask him."

Silence stretched between us as Kait hugged and caressed her baby creeper. "And how have things been in the nether?" I asked her.

"Oh... dull and tedious," she answered with a grimace. "I've been forced to listen to so many speeches and attend so many boring classes that-"

A knock on the door surprised us. Blight went up in a poof of grey smoke, and Eba walked around the counter to answer the call. She opened the door slowly before standing beside it and letting Jack, Sarah, Adrian, Val and Lila inside.

We all got up to greet our friends, exchanging hugs and welcomes. Kaitlin and I had to once again explain our situations, listening to our friends'.

"Well, I've been fine, personally," Jack began once Eba and Sarah had gone into the kitchen. "It's a little overwhelming to be thrust up on a throne, and yet I—we," he interrupted himself, sharing a look with Val, who was sitting leaning against him. "Have managed. But..."

He sneaked a look at the kitchen, lowering his voice just above a whisper. "Sarah hasn't been doing so well."

Kaitlin frowned. "How so?"

The young skeleton king stuttered for a moment. "Well, she... Izabell, you can read her better than I can. Care to explain?"

I smiled, shaking my head. "Well, you know how the ordeal we had to go through took a toll on all of us, right?"

Everyone nodded in understanding as I went on. "Sarah is going through everything, processing what happened in her own way. We all know how strict and tense she is all the time, and that's how she's dealing with the memories."

Val placed her chin on Jack's shoulder. "But she looks so... sad and sort of floppy now, not like she always is. Why?"

"I finally convinced her to take some time off, little by little," Jack answered. "But whenever she's not killing her own patrol with training exercises, she's being this ghost of herself."

"We need to find a way to help her then," Lila put in. She was sitting on Adrian's lap, much to the discomfort of the wither skeleton. The cave spider just likes to see him squirm.

"Maybe later," I told them after the sudden brainstorm that ensued. "At Simon's house. It's not polite to talk about this behind someone's back."

"Alright," Jack agreed. "Maybe we should meet up again soon to discuss this properly."

"I'm going to be around for a week," Kait reminded him. "Maybe the day after tomorrow? If you can? Just so I can be here when we finally try to help Sarah."

"Does that work for everybody?" Jack asked. The gang nodded, and just then both Sarah and Eba came back with a few plates. Only now I noticed just how right Val was. Sarah's inky black hair, usually tied in a tall, neat ponytail was haphazardly braided, strands of it framing her face. Her sliver-grey eyes looked tired, and there was a noticeable sag on her shoulders.

We ate Eba's roast and traded stories. Snowdrift kept begging everyone for a bite, and we eventually caved in, dropping little pieces of juicy beef on the ground for him. Blight caught Kaitlin's attention, leaning against the wall and just sort of looking at the sunset out the window. The blaze princess waved him over.

"Why don't you sit down and eat with us?" She asked.

The demon gave her an apologetic smile. "I don't usually eat like you do, and if my hands were to touch anything, it would wither away in seconds."

I suddenly remembered something, swallowing an unchewed carrot with difficulty. "Ugh, uh... Simon had made a gift for you, Blight, since the last meet-up. Here, let me go get it."

I picked up the small paper bag from Eba's couch, taking out its contents and showing the demon. "Look. They're gloves, made from who-knows-what, that according to him would protect whatever you pick up from your rot."

Blight took the black gloves, staring at them curiously. "They haven't turned to dust, so far so good. Are they made of the same material as those boots he made me way back when?"

I frowned. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't think so. He was all... proud and everything, telling us over and over again how he made them and out of what, but I... well, I don't really remember," I told him with an awkward smile.

The demon shrugged, slipping the gloves on. He walked over to a chair and touched it gingerly. The wooden piece of furniture didn't turn black or melt or whatever. Blight smiled, pulling it away from the table and standing in its place. "He's done it again, that damned creeper."

I smiled. "Watch how you talk about my boyfriend, mister."

We enjoyed our meal as a group, Val and Lila getting up to clean the dishes. Blight was... having fun, I guess, touching things he'd normally rot and staring at them in wonder. The sun sank beneath the horizon at last, and our friends slowly began to leave. The skeletons went first, then the spider sisters once they were finished with the dishes. Now it was just Ara, Kait, me, Flicker, and Snowdrift, waiting for Simon to come pick us up.

Eba sat down with us. Blight still refused to sit, but at least he was standing next to the enderwoman. I watched the demon pass a gloved hand over the couch, as if amazed at what he was doing, out the corner of my eyes.

A knock on the door made Blight vanish, his gloves dropping to the ground. Eba got up slowly, putting down her glass of water. She answered the door, moving out of his way as Simon walked in. "Hi. Sorry I couldn't stay before. I'm here to pick up my housemates."

"It's fine," Eba told him with a smile.

I picked up Snowdrift in my arms. The little snow fox twitched but he didn't wake, curling up tighter. Kaitlin did the same with Flicker, although the baby creeper wriggled around a bit, still not feeling sleepy. Simon smiled at me. "Hey. Have fun?"

I feigned indignation. "Yes I did, _housemate_."

The creeper rolled his eyes, hugging me while being careful not to crush Snowdrift. "I couldn't find a better word to refer to all of you, and believe me, I tried. Please don't be mad at me."

I leaned into him. "You make it so hard to be."

Simon placed his chin on the top of my head. "Did Blight like his present?" he asked.

The demon made himself a shadow, picking up the gloves. "Yes, thank you Simon. How did you make them?"

"The lab I work in has a lot of interesting machines in it," he answered. "One of them is an advanced forge that can maintain any temperature for long periods of time while applying pressure. I decided to test the material that would come up from doing just that to tree sap."

Blight stared at the gloves. "So this is... burnt tree sap?"

"Pretty much," Simon agreed. "It went from gooey to sort of cloth-like, in how it reacts. It's not stiff, it can be forged in various shapes and then woven with tough string to create, for example, gloves. Plus it's water and rot-proof."

The demon turned the gloves over. "Interesting."

"Well, Eba," Simon began, taking a step away from me. "I think it's about time we take our leave, if you don't mind."

"Of course," the enderwoman said with a smile. "Be careful. It's already dark out."

"We can fend for ourselves," Kaitlin assured her.

Eba nodded. "I know, but still. Goodnight! See you soon!"

"Bye Eba!" I called. "Bye Blight!"

"Goodnight," the demon answered.

We closed the door behind us, walking back to the elevator. The creeper put an arm around my waist as we walked all the way back home. I put Snowdrift down gently in the couch once we arrived, following Simon upstairs. I found him sketching something when I entered the room.

I groaned, flopping down on the bed. "Really, Simon? I thought you were done working for tonight."

"I am," he muttered. "Just want to put a couple ideas I got on paper. Give me a moment, alright?"

I hummed, turning my back on him. "Fine."

I was on the edge of sleep when Simon finally put out his desklight, crawling on the bed behind me. He nuzzled my neck tenderly. "Sorry, but it was really important."

"More important than sleep?" I mumbled.

I felt him smile. "Maybe. But I'm here now. Goodnight, Z."

I barely managed to get out a reply. "G'nih... Simon..." Then sleep and pleasant dreams swallowed me whole.

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Author's Notes

Okay, as I said before, I plan on having the chapters be at least 5k words long. At first, I had trouble getting past 4.6k, and then I shot right past my goal, reaching 5.8k words. I missed having that happen to me. :D

Thank you all for your time, patience, and support. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	3. The Announcement

Author's Notes

Alright, I'm a little late, but that doesn't matter. What matters is, here's the next chapter!

Also, Reviews!

ScarOfHerobrine, heh, now that you say it, so do I. I'll see what I can do about it... Yeah, it's pretty difficult! I keep fearing that I've left somebody out, or that it's too chaotic, so thanks! Uh-huh, that'll take some getting used to. Heh, I'm very glad! I would flip out too, no doubt. :D Speaking of 'To Walk', I need to go read the next chapters...

GiggiEba, I thought so too. :) Thanks for the support!

Now, let's get on with the story!

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Jack's POV

We stood just outside the castle's large front door. It was raining lightly, with thin clouds scattered all over the bleak sky. It was surprisingly warm today, which is probably why it was raining instead of snowing. That's not to say it wasn't cold, but with the extra layer of clothes under my armor, the only word to describe the temperature today was 'nice'.

I turned my head to look at Adrian, who was standing to my right. Sarah was on my left, both of them standing straight and serious. "I like this weather," I told them, looking back up at the sky. "Not freezing, with the gentle drumming of rainfall and just enough light to see where you're going."

Adrian hummed. "I suppose it's better than snow," he conceded, "but it's honestly not my favorite."

I looked over at Sarah, who hadn't said anything. The skeleton girl looked at me out of the corner of her eyes for a second before huffing. "A soldier should be able to trudge through meters of snow and under battering rain to do what's necessary."

The skeleton girl heaved a sigh after a whilee, rolling her eyes and turning away when I didn't. "But I do prefer sunny afternoons," she muttered.

I smiled, satisfied, and turned back to stare at the front gate. Only a few minutes later, the spider sisters and lady June came into view through the slots in the gate's tough wood. I signaled for the guards to open and took a step forward. I waved at them, greeting Lila and lady June with handshakes and a hug.

Valory greeted me with a quick kiss, taking my hand. "How was your trip?" I asked her.

"It was alright. Do you know why lady Cassidy called the meeting?" she asked me in turn.

Shaking my head, I led them inside. "No. I was hoping you would, to be honest."

Lila walked up to my side. "Hey," she whispered, "what are we here for again?"

I looked at Val. "You didn't tell her?"

The cave spider beat her to it. "No, she just told me to get dressed and dragged me to the railway."

"Lady Cassidy called a meeting at the Obsidian Palace," I explained.

"But weren't we going to do meet up with the rest of the gang?" she asked. "Y'know, to come up with a plan so Sarah wouldn't be all 'sad and floppy'?"

I frowned. "You're right, I comepletely forgot."

"Maybe you could take Adrian to Simon's in our place," Val suggested. "Wasn't the meeting supposed to be there?"

"Hmm... alright," she agreed.

I waved Adrian over. "Could you escort miss Lila to Simon's house once we reach the railway?"

The wither skeleton nodded. "Of course." He extended his arm, and Lila hooked hers around it. I let go of Val for a moment to speak with Lady June.

The spider smiled at me. "Yes, young king?"

"Do you have any idea why lady Cassidy called this meeting?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "Forgive me, but I don't. Cassidy rarely calls meetings. Instead, she sends out messengers to inform us. It was Troyel who arranged most of these, always wanting to let everyone know what he thought of everything," the ex-queen muttered fondly.

I took a moment to remember my late uncle, before putting him safely away in my heart. "Then whatever lady Cassidy wants to say must be very important."

We walked the rest of the way in silence until we reached the castle's center. The pillars that held up most of the roof were now reinforced with metal and repaired using better stone. The whole process took weeks, and during that time nobody was allowed in the castle.

We walked up to the railway's entrance, flicking on the lights once we were inside. Adrian walked over to the railway's control panel, flipping switches and starting two separate trains. Val, lady June and I got in one while Lila climbed into the other. The wither skeleton finished setting up our rides and entered the cart behind Lila's, and twenty seconds later we were shooting down the dimly-lit tunnel system connecting multiple mob cities together.

Val spent most of the ride chatting with lady June, until they eventually ran out of conversation topics. Then the cave spider leaned forward, hugging me from behind in her cart. "So what are we going to do with Sarah?" she asked me as quietly as possible, just enough to be heard over the rumble of the train.

I pressed my head against her, toying with a lock of her black hair. "I'm not sure. Sarah's happiness hadn't been much of a concern to me when we were young because we rarely visited them, so I never got to learn what brightened her up. Other than Thomas, of course."

Val hummed thoughtfully. "I asked her quite often what she liked, but she always gave me a vague answer related to her soldier training, nothing concrete about her hobbies or anything."

"That's another thing," I agreed. "She always dodged the question or told me what she usually did, not what she liked to do."

The young spider queen tapped her chin. "Mmm... oh! I know! She told me at some point that she enjoyed taking care of a garden with her dad when she was little. Why don't we do something like that with her?"

"That's a great idea," I told her. "We could make a space for Sarah's garden in the castle's courtyard. We need to tell the others, and organize ourselves. We're going to have to buy a lot of plants."

"And soil," Val added. "Not to mention tools."

I nodded. "The castle blacksmiths can make tools, but yeah. That's a great idea."

It was only a few minutes later that the train began slowing down. Val and I continued talking about the garden we'd make with Sarah, what size the plot would be and what plants to get etcetera. Enderman guards greeted us once we got off the train. Once pleasantries had been exchanged, the armored mobs led us out of the railway station.

We emerged onto the busy center of the Obsidian City. Endermen travelled the streets, a few of them peeking glances at us before turning away. I could see a building under construction; endermen workers teleported to and fro all over it, taking materials and tools with them. The guards continued to guide us to the tall palace looming atop a hill in the center of the city.

The buildings in all enderman cities are impressive, but the ones at the capital are even more so. They're kept in mint condition, with intricately carved stone pillars or smooth wooden ones decorated using thin branches woven together around them. The windowsills and doorframes also had beautiful carvings, and were made with what looked to be high-quality wood.

We crossed a masterfully built stone bridge that went from one side of a river to the other, connecting the city to the Obsidian Castle itself. This was supposedly the first structure to be built by ancient enderman hands, the effort led by the first king of the endermen. It wasn't massively extensive by any means, but that didn't make it any less impressive or tall.

As the name suggests, part of the castle is built using obsidian, mostly as rings accentuating towers and plating on their roofs. The windows were black-tinted glass, and the majority of the castle was made up of dark stone. This would be the first time either Val or I would see the magnificent build from the inside.

Guards within the castle walls opened its heavy obsidian door, letting us pass. The endermen leading our little party took us up a few floors on a circling staircase. Once at the top, we walked down a beautifully-lit hall towards the large door at the end. Golden sunlight fell in through tinted glass panels, giving everything an almost ethereal essence. The guards opened the door and led us in, closing it quietly behind us.

We had entered a tall room with a map-table similar to the one in Veridon's castle, except with more detail. More sunlight flooded the room through a circular window high up on the wall. The other monarchs were already there, greeting us with nods, kind faces, and reassuring smiles. Val and I sat down next to each other, while lady June sat on the other side of the young spider queen.

Lady Anastasia sat on a throne at the head of the table. When we first met the elderly enderman queen, her years hadn't caught up with her. But after the... the war, it suddenly became clear just how tired she was. Now she sat on her throne, with bags under her eyes, skin too pale to be healthy and a sag on her once proudly held shoulders. A few strands of grey infiltrated her dark hair, and her eyes held many years in one second.

The elderly queen stood up, sweeping the room with her gaze and forcing a smile. "Thank you all for coming today."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Jefferson, the zombie king, told her. "It must be something very important for you to call a meeting."

"It indeed is," Lady Cassidy agreed. "I called this meeting because... I have an announcement to make."

The enderman queen took off her silver crown, staring at it in her hands. "I have been the ruler of my clan for many many years," she began. "And not once did I think this day would come. I was... foolish, and selfish, to never consider the possibility that I would grow too old to be queen.

"As you may know, I have no heir. I never had children—" She said this in a strange manner. As if she were trying to convince everyone, including herself, of this. "—and it is much too late for that now. I intend to give up my role as monarch of the endermen, but I need to find someone suitable to take over my clan."

Nobody argued with lady Cassidy, although it certainly looked like they wanted to. But we all knew that this would be for the best. "To do this," lady Cassidy continued, "The enderman clan will be hosting a tournament."

Lady Tiffany of the slimes frowned. "Forgive me, Cass, but... well, I fail to see how this involves all of us. You could've sent a message instead of calling a meeting."

"I could've, yes," the enderman queen agreed. "But I felt like doing something new for once. Besides, I need your help with this as well."

"Of course, Lady Cassidy," Val said with a smile. "What do you need?"

"Our cities have a plethora of inhabitants from all six clans," lady Cassidy began. "I would like for you to announce the tournament to any endermen living in your territories who are willing to take on the challenge. Plus, Adam, I could use your engineers. My finest builders will be tasked with the construction of an arena, and they believe it would benefit from some redstone."

The creeper king nodded. "Very well. I'll see who I can spare."

"The slime clan could provide you with materials if necessary," lady Tiffany suggested.

"Have you made flyiers that we can distribute, lady Cassidy?" I asked.

The enderwoman smiled. "Well, I personally haven't, but we hired a designer who did. General Rousch will have them delivered to you soon."

Adam tapped the table with his fingers. "The tournament obviously wouldn't use actual weapons, correct?"

"Of course not," lady Cassidy agreed.

The creeper king nodded. "We need the manpower from the other clans to produce enough faux weapons and armor for this. How many applicants are you expecting?"

The enderman queen thought about this for a moment. "About five hundred. The position of monarch is quite tempting to most."

"And the arena?" lady Tiffany asked. "How big would it be?"

"Very," lady Cassidy answered with a nod. "My builders expect we will need thousands of square meters of stone, concrete, soil, iron and quartz. Not to mention the materials Adam's engineers will use."

The slime queen tapped her chin. I had only seen her a few times, and she always looked worried or jittery. "I think it can be done. I'll ask my builders to dig a new quarry. That should provide you with everything you will need."

The enderwoman smiled. "Thank you."

"When will you begin the tournament?" I asked. "And how long would it last?"

"I'm not entirely aware of the logistics," lady Cassidy answered apologetically. "But I believe it will last about two weeks, and will begin in one month while my people work on the arena."

King Jefferson leaned forward. "I could send you some of my medics for the duration of the event. Accidents tend to happen during these things."

The enderman queen nodded. "That would be much appreciated, thank you."

"I could task lady June's- uh, my, tailors to make the armor and bows that will be used during the tournament," Val offered.

I nodded. "The skeleton clan could assemble swords and shields."

"Thank you both," lady June said.

"Would that be all, Cassidy?" Adam asked.

The enderwoman nodded. "I believe so. Thank you for understanding, and for being here."

She took a deep breath and smiled. "I do not wish for this to sound like a final farewell, but I must speak my mind. You have been the best friends anyone could ever ask for. We have been through thick and thin, more than just neighboring monarchs.

"I weep for those that are no longer with us," she continued. "For Aaron, my oldest friend, who perished at the hands of monsters whilst defending his clan. For Belle, who was lost to a sickness, and for Troyel, whom we will miss dearly."

The other monarchs hung their heads in a show of respect. Val and I did too after a moment of hesitation. I learned about lady Belle and king Aaron in school when I was little, the predecessors of king Jefferson and king Adam respectively. For some reason, when lady Cassidy came into power, she despised the current creeper king. But that hatred had blossomed into friendship several years back.

After the moment of silence, lady Cassidy stood up. "That will be all, my friends. Go back to yours, and please, have your men share the news of the tournament. I'm sure that we will be able to find a suitable candidate to be my replacement. D'ah-ton."

We left the room one by one, king Adam staying behind to discuss a few things with lady Cassidy. "What does 'dah towm' mean?" I asked lady June.

"'D'ah-ton' is a phrase in ancient enderman," the ex-queen answered. "It literally means 'have a good life', and is used as a farewell. The endermen are the only clan who still have a few fragments of their ancient language alive today."

"Do you know any more?" Val asked her.

Lady June nodded hesitantly. "I think I do, but my pronunciation is horrible. I'll try my best."

She thought to herself for a minute as we walked down the weird magic hall. "Okay, First is 'ah c'hou', which means 'good to see you'. Then... 't'ebha', which means 'stay clever' and is used to say 'focus'. There's also 'ah-lete', which means 'opposite of good'."

"'Ah lette'," Val repeated. "Isn't it easier to just say 'bad'?" she asked.

"Yes, but endermen don't use that to just say bad," lady June explained. "It's more like... 'oh, why?'."

I frowned. "Do endermen use those phrases a lot? I've never heard Eba use any of them."

"Some endermen do," the ex-queen answered. "Mostly on the older side, though I heard it would be taught in schools at one point or another. It's quite an important language."

Val raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Lady June smiled. "Endermen were the first explorers when time began. Many of our words come from their ancient language. For example, obsidian comes from 'ops-idan', which means 'tough' and 'dark'. And sheath; 's'eth', which means 'to hold swords'."

We discussed the ancient language for a while until we made our way back to the railway station. Val asked lady June if she felt alright with going back home alone, as she and I would be visiting Simon.

"Of course," the spider answered. "I've been on the railway on my own plenty of times. Have fun, milady, but make sure to come back soon; there are a lot of things for you to attend to."

Val nodded. "Thank you. And, please, I asked you not to call me that. I still feel uncomfortable taking your place."

Lady June smiled. "Right, sorry. Good day to you both."

We took the train back to Globe Chapel city, and were forced to walk aaall the way out from the center of it and through the forest to Simon's house-mansion. "We really need to find a better way to visit them," I told Valory.

The spider smiled. "Yeah. Maybe Simon could give us some sort of personal airship. It'd be easier."

I frowned. "I don't know. Those things are hard to make."

"I'm sure if we ask him he'll agree," Val insisted with a nudge.

I huffed, nudging her back playfully. "Well, maybe you could ask. I'd rather we didn't bother him. You know how busy he's been recently."

Val shrugged, hugging me as we walked. I wrapped an arm around her waist, and we enjoyed each other's company in silent contempt.

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Eba's POV

Kait, Izabell, Ara, Lila, Adrian and I sat in Z's living room, discussing what we could do to help Sarah's mood, with Blight standing nearby. So far, we had one thing clear; we really need to come up with a way to cheer her up. In the hour or so since we got together, there hadn't been a single good idea that we knew would actually work. We came up with pranks, Lila suggested a blind date, a trip far away by herself, a trip far away with us, etcetera. But we kept finding reasons for them to not work.

Izabell poured herself a dandelion tea, sipping it carefully. We jumped out of our skin when someone knocked on the door. Z put down her mug and walked over. Jack and Valory walked in shortly after, greeting us and looking for a place to sit. Jack sat down in a big puffy chair, and Val squeezed in beside him, making for a tight fit.

Lila stopped snickering just enough to speak. "How did the meeting go? What did lady Cassidy want?"

"It went well," Jack answered. "Lady Cassidy is looking to retire from her role as queen."

We stared at both young monarchs in astonishment. Lady Cassidy had been queen when our parents were our age. She was, as far as I knew, the oldest-living monarch. "Really?" I asked in disbelief. "When? Who's the heir to the throne?"

"That's the thing," Val began. "Since lady Cassidy has no heir, the endermen are hosting this big tournament to choose one. We're supposed to have flyiers put up everywhere once they're sent to us."

Kaitlin tilted her head. "So... could Eba participate? And become queen?"

I stared at the blaze in surprise. "She could," Jack agreed, "if she wants to."

Everyone looked at me expectantly. "I, uh..." It took a moment for me to find my voice. "As much as I'd like to, I can't."

Val raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

I stared at Blight. My demon was pretending to look out the window, but I knew he was listening intently. "I don't think it's right for a queen to have a demon. Or for me to put my friend at risk just to become one. Who knows what people would do if they found out about him?"

Lila crossed her arms. "Well I don't think it's fair that you're holding back because of Blight."

The cave spider was about to go on when my demon spoke. "I don't either."

He walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "If you really want to participate in the tournament, then don't let me stop you. I want what's best for you, Eba."

I shrank a little. "So do I. And it's your safety I'm thinking of. I don't want to have someone catch you, and then try to... to exorcise or hurt you."

Adrian tapped his chin. "There's always a way to deal... Blight, could you leave Eba and enter another host?"

My demon nodded. Adrian frowned thoughtfully. "Then couldn't you simply inhabit someone else while Eba takes part in the tournament?"

We were all silently contemplating the wither skeleton's idea. For some reason, the thought of Blight leaving me made me feel uneasy. "It could work," my demon conceded. "But we would have to find someone who would take me."

"We can't ask a stranger to do this," Kait pointed out. "It has to be someone we can trust."

Once again, everyone was quiet. Izabell took a final sip of her tea and looked up. "I could do it," she offered.

I frowned. "Why?"

The slime girl shrugged. "Honestly, I don't do much. I guess I just want something to do, someone to talk to. No offense, Ara."

The monster 'smiled'. "None taken, Isssabell."

I turned to look at Blight. My heart fell when I saw him actually considering this. "Are you sure?" my demon asked.

Izabell nodded. "I am."

Do you really want to? I asked Blight.

This is a solution, the only one we've come up with, he reasoned. It would allow you to participate in the tournament, and I would stay safe during.

You do realize that if I win, we'll probably never be together like this again? I pressed.

My demon went silent for a moment. You're my family, he said at last. I will not allow myself to sand in the way of your success.

Without waiting for me to argue again, he turned to Izabell. "Very well. If you truly alright with it, then we'll do it."

The slime girl stood up. "Yes, I am."

Blight nodded. My demon took a deep breath. "It's probably best you sit down for this," he advised Izabell. "It's painful."

"Oh." Z did as she was told, sitting back down with her hands on her thighs.

Steel yourself, Blight told me. "Close your eyes, Izabell," he instructed.

I closed them too, preparing for the imminent headache. A few seconds later, white-hot pain seemed to tear a hole through my forehead. I grabbed the chair's armrests tightly, clenching my teeth and trying to not pass out. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the pain was gone along with Blight. My head and heart felt sort of empty, and it became clear just how used I had become to my demon being there.

My head felt woozy. I blinked my eyes open, and was just in time to see the last few wisps of dark-grey smoke enter Izabell's forehead. Tears were sliding down the slime girl's cheeks, but she held fast. She heaved a shuddering breath once it was over, holding her head in her hands. Lila took Izabell's hand, trying to comfort her.

"I'm okay," she choked out. "I'm fine."

"And Blight?" I asked her quietly.

The slime girl blinked in surprise, staring at her hand. Grey dust was trailing its way to her palm, drifting off towards the wall and slowly forming one of Blight's shadows. "I'm here," he muttered.

I turned away, pressing my cheek against my fist. "Good."

"Now that that's settled," Lila began carefully. "We haven't done what we supposedly came here to do. Come up with a way to cheer Sarah up."

"Actually," Val began proudly, "I have an idea..."

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Thomas' POV

It had been over a week an a half since Javer and I set off towards the village. It became apparent how bad of a pilot I was, having bumped into trees and such at least twice a day, usually more. I don't think we broke the machine, or lost any important parts, but the slight rumbling coming from belowdecks wasn't all that reassuring.

Eventually, the taiga turned into a jungle, which I found more difficult to manouver through. But, once we left the jungle, it was a straight shot to the village flying over a mesa. And now, at last, we were nearing our destination.

I could remember that the village was built on plains edged by a sparse forest. The village had changed a lot since I was gone. There were less houses, and they looked to be made mostly of stone and brick now. Javer couldn't keep a smile from his face, looking relieved to be back home. I couldn't see much from where I stood at the helm, but I could imagine the faces of everyone on the ground, looking up at the impressive machine in the sky.

I brought us close to the ground and dropped the anchor, taking a look around. A small crowd of people gathered a short distance from the airship. Familiar faces poked out here and there. Javer waved at them all, dropping the rope ladder and beginning the climb down. I wrung my hands together. Worry was eating me alive; what would everyone think when they saw me? Would I be welcome? Cast out?

Javer noticed me hesitating just before his head popped out of view. "Thomas? Aren't you coming?"

I blinked a couple times. "Uh, yeah, yeah I'm coming."

The alchemist-in-training frowned, getting back onboard. "What's the matter?"

I huffed. "I just don't know how everyone will receive me."

"Well..." Javer placed a hand on my shoulder, leading me to the ladder. "Does it matter? I know of a few people who will certainly be glad to see you again. And I don't think anyone would be against you coming back, even if it's just for a while."

I smiled at my friend. "I guess you're right. Ladies first?" I asked jokingly.

"By all means," Javer answered, nudging me towards the ladder.

I shoved him back playfully, beginning my descent onto familiar territory. I set foot on the emerald grass, waiting for Javer before turning around. I was met with about two dozen surprised or worried faces. A couple of them lit up, moving towards the front of the group. We recognized each other immediately.

"Javer? And... is that Thomas?" the young woman asked quietly.

A very old man walked up behind her, holding himself up with a staff. "Turns out you were right," he said disbelievingly.

My friend nodded, taking a step forward. "I was."

"Hey Sophie," I muttered. "Good to see you again, healer."

"It's very good to make your aquaintance anew, my boy," the old man answered with a smile.

Letting out some sort of shriek, Sophie ran up and hugged me tightly. "I can't believe it!"

The crowd started bombarding us with questions, engulfing us in queries that came to fast to answer. The healer began shoving people back with his staff. "That is enough! All of you! Give the young men space! Go back to you chores if all you're going to do is gawk!"

Most of the crowd dispersed, but not without complaints. Javer and I finally managed to answer the last questions from a few people before they too were sent off by the healer. He and Sophie stood with us, an awkward silence stretching for a few seconds.

"How?" Sophie finally asked. "How are you here?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "It's... a long, complicated story."

"Maybe we could discuss it somewhere more comfortable," Javer suggested. "Do... uh, do I still have a house, healer?"

The old man chuckled, shaking his head. "Sort of. Come along, young ones."

The healer led us through the village. People waved with slight awkwardness, and we all waved back. The cobblestone road we took felt familiar. "When did you pave the dirt path, healer?" I asked.

"A long time ago," he answered. "The fire that came after the raid was over consumed a vast quantity of our homes, and our friends. Including you.

"Once the rubble was cleared," the elder went on, "and we had grieved for the ones lost, we rebuilt our houses with stone and paved the path with cobble. Now we rely not only on my senses and visions, but on the Night Guards in watch towers."

I frowned. "The Night Guards?"

"Sophie proposed the idea," Javer answered, "to have people keep an eye out for monsters or pillagers during the night. Lots of people volunteered to become Night Guards. Last time I was around, there were six watch towers, and we had eight Night Watchers. Has that changed?" he asked Sophie.

The young woman nodded. "We built two more watch towers, and recruited two more Night Guards."

We split off from the stone road onto a poorly-kept dirt one. We trailed along it for a little while, walking up to a house that looked just as mistreated as the little dirt path. Sophie, Javer and I stopped in front, while the healer went up to it and began sorting through a key ring.

"This place looks just as I left it. Except for, you know, the months of not being properly taken care of," he added.

"Nobody but the Healer and Miron dared go in. The Healer was actually who gave me your note. Also..." Sophie punched Javer in the arm hard, causing the alchemist-in-training to recoil. "I didn't appreciate how you simply disappeared and left me to do all the chores myself!"

"Sorry," our friend choked out between pained chuckles. "But I had to find Thomas. I didn't _want_ to disappear, but I had to."

Sophie huffed, looking from Javer to me. I raised my hands, taking a step back. "I died, remember?"

The young woman smiled, shaking her head. "Well, you both are going to have to make it up to me, alright?"

Javer and I exchanged glances. "Fine..."

The Healer eventually found the right key, opening the lock on Javer's door and letting us in. The small house was empty except for a clothes rack, a desk, some stools, and a big chest in the corner. Javer looked around in disbelief.

"Miron and I cleaned up," the Healer explained. "He took all the perishables, potions and glassware to his own house. I put all your books and belongings in that chest."

Our friend relaxed. "Oh. Alright." He took a book out of his trenchoat's pockets, going over and placing it in the chest.

The Healer pulled up a stool, sitting down with a grunt. "Alright. Now we're 'more comfortable'." He stared at me with old blue eyes. "Tell us. How are you here?"

I got my own stool, sitting beside the desk, and taking a deep breath. "Alright. I guess... I should begin by telling you just who and what I am."

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Author's Notes

Finally, I didn't shoot way past 5k words. But only because I moved a couple of scenes from this chapter to the next. :P

I had a lot of fun with this one, trying to fill out the amazing world that I've somehow managed to create with my very own hands. I hope you've enjoyed the chapter too. :D

Thank you all for your wonderful time, support, and patience. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	4. Sarah’s Garden

Author's Notes

I was on vacation, yeah? Only to come home to start cleaning and packing shit up for a big move. So now I'm tired, suffering from a video game withdrawal, and owe myself 20k words worth of prewritten chapters. So... I'm a little tired.

And now, Review! (Cuz it's only one)

GiggiEba, no, neither one was too happy about that. You were close enough, so I'll give that to you, but it's actually 'Golden' spirit. I'm glad, thanks for the support!

And now, on with the story!

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Simon's POV

I messed with the dark-grey tie for a while under Izabell's amused watch. "Here, let me help you."

The slime girl straightened the horrible article of clothing, which surprised me. I didn't know she knew how to tie a tie. Then she handed me a black coat with silver buttons. I slipped into the fancy coat, looking myself in the mirror. Z hugged me, looking into the mirror as well. "You look great."

I took a couple seconds to process it. "Y'know, I think I'll just take my jacket and see what happens," I told her, taking off that damned tie.

Izabell rolled her eyes. "Simon. You need to look your best for the presentation."

"And I look my best," I said while taking off the coat, "when I'm not wearing this."

The slime girl sighed, looking me up and down once I put on my leather jacket. She removed a few pieces of lint, dusted it off in a few places and took a step back. "Fine, if that's what you want to wear, then go ahead."

I smiled, giving her a hug and kissing the top of her head. "Thank you for your understanding, fair maiden."

Z shook her head, hugging me for a second and then stepping back. "Go, or you'll be late."

I sent her a kiss, leaving the bedroom and walking downstairs. I had breakfast before dealing with this, so it was a straight shot out of the house towards Globe Chapel city. It was a pleasant walk to and from work, but honestly, it had become a chore. I did take time to unwind when heading back, but it sometimes just wasn't enough.

Since I was one of the 'heroes' that helped kill Darkness, I had the privilege of using the railway system to reach Malachite from here. This is great, since it usually would take a day to get there from where we live. The ride took 15ish minutes, which I used to rest my eyes a bit. Once I reached the city of Malachite, it was a short walk to the lab.

It had been built under this two-floor-tall concrete thing, neither completely building nor storage area. Supposedly, the build had started about three years ago, and nobody had been bothered to finish the damn thing, or hire someone who would. I greeted Fred, the doorman, and took the elevator down to sublevel 2.

Unlike the old and unfinished outside façade, the lab was in mint condition. The walls were white concrete with grey trim, lit up with many redstone lamps. The lab split off in three directions after encountering the lobby. One of the halls led you to the storage room, one to the archive, and the center hall took you to the R and D room.

This whole... bunker, I guess, is devoted to weapons development. I'm stuck in here all day, working on either blueprints, or presentations, on actually building and then testing weapons, and defending myself against coworkers or Andrews, my boss. I didn't mind the arguing at first, since I was having fun getting to put ideas on paper and then making them a reality. That magic faded a long time ago.

I used my keycard to get in, greeting Tim and Jones. I only got one answer, and it wasn't from good ol' Jones. He took a bite from a chocolate bar, flipping through a newspaper. "When is the presentation due?" the man asked.

I checked my watch. "An hour. Is it ready?"

"Tim's still working on the model," he told me. "I was waiting for him to finish before wrapping up the presentation."

I suppressed a sigh, walking over and picking up the presentation papers. "You didn't do anything," I whispered incredulously.

"'Course I did," he said, sounding indignant. "I have all the charts laid out, the lists and shit-"

"You did nothing, Jones!" I interrupted. "Where are the so-called charts? Why are they not on the paper?"

"You're not the boss to be telling me what to do-" he began.

"This is our proyect!" I told him through clenched teeth. "We're supposed to be a team! And yet I'm running from here to there, doing everything you or Carla were supposed to do! I might not be your boss," I continued when he was about to interject. "But I am a coworker, and I ask you, kindly, that you do your job. Please."

Jones glared at me. "You. Are. Not. My. Boss," he said firmly, taking another bite of his chocolate bar and leaving the room.

I took a deep breath, then two, five, before hitting the table hard with my closed fists. I looked up to notice Tim was still there, looking a bit frightened. I combed a hand through my hair. "Sorry. How's the model coming along?"

Tim showed me a finished carving of Proyect Javelin. "I think I'm done, but it's your design, so I wanted to show you before boxing it."

I took a good look at the little model. "It's perfect, thanks. At least someone's doing their job," I muttered. "Did Carla even show up?"

"She hasn't yet," Tim answered. The young man took his carving back, opening a glass box and placing it carefully inside.

I took the mostly blank papers from the table, looking them over closely. "Uh, Tim... I'm going to need your help if we're gonna finish this presentation."

"Sure," he answered. "What do you need?"

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Tim and I walked through the compound back to the elevator. I had the rolled-up presentation paper tucked under my arm. On our way, we came across Carla and Jones, who were busy talking to Andréws.

"...need a little more time boss," I heard Jones say.

"Just a couple hours," Carla assured. "It's just that the new guy didn't do his part, didn't do nothing, really, said he didn't have to since-"

"I don't give a shit," Andrews told them. "I can't reschedule a presentation with such important people, and especially not with the king."

"We told you, it's the new guy's fault," Jones restated. "He's done nothing but get in the way!"

"I'm sure," Andres agreed. "But if you don't have that presentation done in the next twenty minutes, someone is getting fired."

Carla and Jones exchanged a look. "I guess we know who it'll be."

Tim and I walked up to them. I placed a hand on Jone's shoulder, feeling the creeper tense up. "Good news, sir," I told Andrews. "Tim and I finished the presentation in time, how about that?"

Andrews huffed. "If you had done your job when you were supposed to-"

"I did do my job, with all due respect, sir," I interruped. "The official blueprints are done, records have been smashed, files have been stored, material lists have been written and fires have been put out."

Andrews narrowed his eyes before turning away. "Then hurry. Our guests are already here."

I let go of Jones, resisting the temptation of pushing past him as I followed Andrews into the elevator. We went up to sublevel one, entering the hall with meeting rooms. The everything on this floor is furnished with spruce wood, carpets, mostly-empty bookshelves and little tables or desks.

Andrews opened one of the doors and walked in, sitting at the long table in the center of the meeting room. King Adam was at the end of the table, with two people next to him. One of them had a black mustache, tired eyes and a black suit with a red tie. The other one had a red suit with a green tie and blond hair.

Tim and I hung up the presentation papers while Jones and Carla stood there looking a tad lost. I rubbed my hands together and nudged Tim towards our useless coworkers. "Thank you for coming today, gentlemen, your highness."

"It's a pleasure, it really is," the mustached one said, he had an thick accent common in villages from the east.

The blond one nodded, and spoke with the same accent. "Our other friend couldn't make it, but having the two founding Architechs is fine, right Mumbo?"

"Totally fine, totally," red-tie agreed.

I took a deep breath. Tim and I barely had time to go over the presentation. I would have to do everything on the spot. "Well, what the team has for you today is a new self-defense mechanism for our airships."

"Oh, we loved those," mustache man said.

"Yeah, we kind of dabbled in air vehicles in the past," red-suit commented, "But we never really got anywhere."

King Adam chuckled. "Gentlemen, we'll be here way longer than intended if you continue interrupting the poor man."

Both engineers chuckled apologetically. "Right, of course, forgive us, carry on."

I smiled patiently. "That's fine. Now, this defense mechanism, or weapon, however you'd like to call it, is nicknamed Proyect Javelin and is based off a normal, every-day crossbow."

I hung up a copy of the blueprints on the wall. The engineers looked immediately interested. "This is a ballista," I explained. "It fires iron bolts very far, with immense power, using a complicated system of elastics and pulleys. We have the list of materials for you to look at as well. Tim?"

I looked over at the young man. "Could you hand the gentlemen their list?"

Tim nodded, walking over to the sharply-dressed men and handing them a couple of papers. I let the engineers discuss the list for a while. "Now, if you'll let me continue?"

The blond one nodded. "Yeah, carry on."

"This 'weapon' will be mounted on the cannon ports of Dragoon-class airships," I began listing. "On the decks of Carrier-class ones, on Explorer-class, and can be modified to fit on a Drifter-class airship. They should be easy and cheap to manufacture, while still delivering great force."

The engineers nodded, looking at the material list again. "This is great," mustache-man began. "I'm just saying that we could do something about the redstone. Make it more... refined."

"And the materials," red-suit added. "These don't really look right in my head. Birch isn't the prettiest kind of wood, or the strongest, so the design might not be that great."

"What I- I mean, the team, was going for when designing the ballista was for it to be cheap, light, and durable, not to mention simple," I explained. "If I complicate the redstone much further, or refine it as you say, assembly prices go up as well as assembly time. Birch is actually quite fetching if used in the right situations, and it is pretty durable for the weight of it. We have a model of a ballista if you'd like to see for yourself."

The engineers exchanged looks. "Uh... sure."

I picked up the glass-cased model and slid it over to them. Red-suit got to it first, inspecting the wooden carving. Tim had dyed it where was necessary, and the design looked spectacular, if I do say so myself.

The blond one handed the model to mustache-man for him to see. Once they were done, red-suit slid the model back to me. "It is certainly impressive, isn't it Grian?" mustache man commented.

"It really is," red-suit agreed. Both of them stood up, stretching a hand out to Andrews. "The Architechs corporation will be honored to purchase the design. Perhaps we could set up another meeting to discuss its terms?"

Andrews smiled. It was a hideous, fake thing. "As you wish, gentlemen. Have a good day, and thank you for being here with us."

King Adam stood up, bidding the engineers farewell. Tim and I brought down the presentation papers, while Carla and Jones left the scene. I let Tim take the papers to archive them, and was stopped by Andrews as I was about to leave.

"You're very lucky to have finished in time," he muttered harshly. "But if you keep this high-and-mighty attitude, I will have you kicked from the team, do you hear me?"

Before I could defend myself, the king placed a hand on my boss' shoulder. "What's the matter, Andrews? One would think you'd be thanking the boy for such a stellar presentation, not grinding him out for it."

Andrews huffed. "I've had multiple mishaps and complaints from Jones and Carla that 'the boy' has been doing next to nothing for the team. He barely had time to finish his work for the presentation, and all because he felt much too important to be doing anything."

The creeper king raised an eyebrow. "Is that true, Simon?"

I took a few seconds to simmer down and organize my thoughts. "Were I to agree, Andrews would use my words as leverage to fire me, and if unable to, I might at least be on slightly better terms with him. If I denied it, Andrews would take me for a liar and hate me more. So, your highness, I'll let you decide. Have I, or have I not done my job for the past months?"

King Adam looked amused, staring at me, then at Andrews and back. "You look more miserable today than you did when I hired you," he finally said. "And that means that you've done your job, and perhaps someone else's."

The creeper king smiled at my boss. "Did you happen to notice the looks on Jones' and Carlas' faces?" he asked. "How lost they both seemed? Did you notice that Simon was the only one who spoke, and that he only asked Tim for help when necessary? Do you know what that means, Andrews?"

When my boss, who had a half-hidden look of utter rage, didn't answer, the king did for him. "It means that those two, who just so happen to be the ones complaining about Simon, didn't do their job. Knowing that you run a tight ship, I expect that such an action, or rather lack of, deserves some form of punishment. Isn't that right?"

"It is, my king," Andrews muttered through gritted teeth.

"Good. Now, let me make something clear, Andrews." The king's smile disappeared. "You have been harassing the boy from day one," he stated, nodding at me. "But that ends now. He earned his place. His brilliant mind is responsible for our victory over Darkness. I don't want you to treat him like royalty either, but I want you to be fair with him. Understood?"

Andrews nodded. "Yes, my king."

King Adam nodded, taking a step back. "Have a good day, the both of you."

We waited for him to leave. Then Andrews made his trademark 'hrmph' sound. "You did a good job," he muttered. "I'll see to it that Jones and Carla are punished for their lies and lack of competence. I suppose you could take the rest of the day off."

I blinked. "Thank you, sir. Could Tim take the day off as well?" I asked. "He helped me finish the presentation."

Andrews made that sound again. "Very well. I'll have someone tell him. Now go."

Still taken aback, I nodded and promptly left the room. Z would be so excited that I got a break. Hell, I was excited for getting a break, not to mention recognition for my work. I hurried my way back home, thinking of ways to spend the day with my beautiful girlfriend. However, when I got back home... There was nobody there. I only found a note.

Simon, I went to help our friends make a garden with Sarah. I'll be back in a couple hours.

-Izabell

The door opened behind me as I took the time to process what the note said. Ara walked in, herding a mudcaked Flicker and Snowdrift into the house. The creeper looked up, smiling in surprise. "Sssimon! How are you here? I thought you were working today."

I chuckled. "I was, but they gave me the rest of the day off. Hey... would you happen to know where a certain slime girl could've gone to help with a proyect for a certain skeleton girl?"

Ara shook her head, still smiling. "Isssabell went to Veridon'sss cassstle. You migh ssstill be in time to reach and help them."

I smiled. "Thanks, Ara. Are you going to give these two a bath?"

The monster nodded. "I took them for a walk in the woodsss, but now they're all filthy."

I slipped my jacket back on. "Well, I'd help, knowing how much of a handful those two are, but I'm afraid I must leave you. You'll be okay, though, right?"

Ara rolled her dark eyes. "Thisss isssn't the firssst time I've had to do thisss. Have fun!"

"Thanks!" I called over my shoulder. "We'll be back soon!"

Inside I felt a little disappointed. My private little afternoon with Izabell was off the table...

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Sarah's POV

I slipped on a comfortable, grey turtleneck sweater, tying my boots and hair. I was on another 'off day', much to my displeasure, and Jack had asked me to accompany him outside. These little vacations became more and more frequent, which I found distressing. But, you couldn't argue with a king.

I held myself as I wandered down the castle's stone halls. It took me a couple minutes to reach the door that led you out to the courtyard. It took a moment for the guards to recognize me, but after a little glare, their confused faces disappeared and I was let out.

Jack was standing outside with our friends, the group talking excitedly with each other. I walked up to them, crossing my arms. "What's the occation? Why did you need me?"

They all went quiet. Jack smiled. "We have a surprise for you."

I raised an eyebrow. "A surprise?"

Our friends dispersed, smiles lighting up everyone's faces. Behind them were a bunch of tools, sacks of soil, and lots of beautiful flowers in their little pots. I blinked at everything, a bemused smile escaping me. "What? What's this?"

"Well... we just wanted to make you smile," Izabell explained. "Val thought that maybe we could do some gardening. If you'd like to join us?"

I stared at the materials on the ground. We've known each other for more than a year. Is it too soon to show them my soft side? Should I at all? Does it matter? Do I care? I stared at them out the corners of my eyes, feeling a slight blush on my cheeks. Were I able to, I'd kill it. "I'd like that," I answered as me as possible.

Everyone's nervous smiles lit up further, and we began work. Jack and Valory started handing out shovels and gloves. "We want this garden to be yours," the stray explained. "So, as much as we might hate this, you'll be in charge of ordering us around."

I flashed my friends a mischevious smile. "This might just be a good day after all."

The creation of my garden was split in two phases. Terraforming and planting. First, we had the boys lug around the sacks of dirt while we removed the sad excuse of earth and grass. This included Blight, since he now had those gloves Simon made him and he wouldn't strip the soil of its nutrients. Speaking of the creeper, he showed up out of the blue at some point, much to Izabell's surprise and contempt.

Us girls did the shoveling, making a pile of the useless dirt at the center of a clearing that would form once we were done. I had a plan to use that gritty earth later. Once we had cleared out the spaces for flowers and trees and the boys had filled them up with high-quality soil, we began the planting process. We each had to replant the contents of six pots in their specific places, which I'd chosen. That only left a little tree which would go atop the mound of earth.

We planted marigolds, cornflowers, poppys, roses, small sunflowers, and tulips of various colors. I enjoyed the whole thing very very much, but I wasn't about to tell everyone that fact. Cleaning my dirty gloves together, I took a step back to admire it all with my hands on my hips. I asked Jack if we could go purchase furniture and some other materials to finish my garden. It looked wonderful, but it wasn't done just yet.

"Sure," the stray agreed. "Just don't go overboard, okay?"

I crossed my arms and smiled. "I can't promise anything. Come on, guys."

We wandered around the city, visiting places which I frequented in my childhood, back when I helped my dad keep our garden in the yard. We bought some rocks, a small fountain, a few more flowers, a bag of fertilizer, little wooden benches, and stone plates to make a path. Taking our haul back to the castle, we began work once again.

Val and Lila set up the path, placing the plates, rocks and some pebbles while under my instruction and supervision. The boys lugged the benches and our fountain around, also under my guidance. The rest of our friends took care of making what we had already done look better, using the pebbles we bought and flattening unruly lumps of soil. I had my own task to take care of.

With the help of Adrian, I mixed the mound of dirt in the center of our clearing with the fertilizer. Then, again with some help, I placed the fountain in its correct place at the center of it. Afterwards, I built up a pretty waterfall-esque look using the rocks and pouring a bucket of clean water into the fountain. I poured a few seeds of various wildflowers around the mound before planting the final potted tree atop it all.

It was a young apple tree, standing tall and mighty above my garden. It, as well as the rest of the flora, would grow in time. The whole thing would look much better then, but for now... it was lovely.

My friends cheered, basking in the glory of what we had accomplished. I couldn't keep a smile off my face, observing the beautiful garden from where I stood next to the centerpiece. I gave Jack the shovel and gloves back, taking some more time to admire it all.

Once our tools were put away and we were brought inside, the skeleton king sat us at the castle's dining room. "So, Sarah, how do you feel?"

I heaved a sigh. "I... loved it, honestly. Thanks, guys."

Everyone cheered again, celebrating with each other. There was only one person missing from this wonderful picture. Thomas. This time, I didn't let my memories sour the moment. I shared a meal with our friends, laughing and chatting along with them. Gad and David, the castle chefs, cooked us a variety of delicious things which everyone enjoyed. Slowly, as the sun began sinking under the horizon, everyone began to leave. First it was Eba, but strangely enough Blight didn't leave with her.

Simon and Izabell went a few minutes later. Blight trailed along before turning into a cloud of dust and disappearing. Adrian left to his quarters, taking the opportunity to walk the spider sisters out beforehand. Jack and I were the only ones left. I took a swig of ale, a hidden like that I discovered a couple days ago, much to the king's displeasure.

"So, did we do good?" the stray asked.

I smiled, shaking my head. "That was... very sweet of you guys. Thanks."

Jack returned my smile with raised eyebrows. "I can't believe it. Is that... is that a genuine, one hundred percent legitimate, Sarah smile?"

I shoved I'm back playfully, hiding my face behind my mug. "I wish I could capture this moment forever and hang it on my wall," the stray went on. "This is the feat of the century. I didn't think anyone other than Thomas could get an actual smile out of you."

Even my sombre memories of the boy couldn't wash away the mirth I was so comfortably swamped in. "Yeah, he got pretty good at that somehow."

I laughed along with him, talking mostly about me and Thomas. "What was his deal with the apples?" Jack asked at one point. "There were tons in our little shed, plus the ones lying around the house."

I shrugged, smiling. "He just really liked apples."

The king eventually sent me off to bed, wether because of the time or the five dirty mugs of ale strewn on the table, I wasn't sure. I made my way into my room, closing the door a little loudly and flopping onto the soft couch in front of the small coffee table in the center. I was still giggling from it all.

My limbs and eyelids felt heavy, but my heart was free for those beautiful moments. It reminded me of the many days spent with the boy who held me captivated with those hazel eyes. I fell asleep then, dreaming of him.

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Thomas' POV (technically hours ago)

The Healer scratched his beard thoughtfully. Sophie stared at the floor, processing what I'd told them. It took a while, but I had eventually shared all I knew about myself and what I'd been up to after my death. I waited patiently for them to begin the onslaught of questions I was sure would follow my explanation.

"How come you didn't know when we met you?" Sophie asked. "Or did you know then?"

I shook my head. "I couldn't remember. I didn't remember anything untill Javer gave me the vial of sunlight. Then it all came back to me."

The healer hummed. "How far back can you remember?" he asked.

I focused on the memories at the back of my head. "I think... as far as the lifetime before the one I spent here. But only certain parts."

The elder nodded. "Well... I suppose this is a mystery we cannot, at the moment, solve. Instead, let's do something productive. We need to get you two settled," he told me and Javer. "Then you could visit old friends."

"Is old man Stockton still alive?" I asked him.

Sophie nodded grimly. "Barely. He's gotten sick again. We tried for a time to get him another totem of undying, but the closest temples had none."

Worry and dread filled my heart. Old man Stockton had been a friend of ours, and the Healer's younger sibling. But he caught a sickness, something that weakened him terribly. Javer, Sophie and I had saved our friend by traveling to a jungle temple, finding a golden totem with emerald eyes and giving it to him. "Do the potions not work?"

"Whatever got him last time," the Healer muttered, "has him in its grasp again. I reckon that despite Miron's and my efforts, he might not last more than a week."

"A week?" I asked in bewilderment. A nod was the only response I got. After a moment, I stood up. "Could we go see him?"

The Healer nodded, getting up from his stool. "Come along."

He led us back the way we came, turning left and heading towards a small house. The elder knocked on the wooden door before opening it and letting us in. A frail man sat on a bed at the farthest end of the small room. The only decoration was a tiny nightstand with a bowl of fruit.

Old man Stockton was sickly pale, with skin that clung tightly to bones which showed beneath. His lips were closed in a grimace, eyes closed painfully shut. Even while unconscious, the sickness gave him no break. The Healer placed his hand on the dying man's shoudler, shaking him gently. "Wake up, Philmont."

Stockton's grimace bent further, and his eyes opened slowly. They were unfocused, searching the room in a tired haze. Then his gaze clicked to attention. The frown wavered, turned into the beginnings of a smile showing. "Hey... leaf man. How... how are you?"

The healer shook his head. "Better than you are."

The sick man's eyes rolled towards Sophie, and then landed on Javer and me. Stockton tried to sit up, only to be gently laid back down by the healer. "I thought... you... isn't... I must be hallucinating," the man muttered. "One of you is dead... and the other one missing. Right?"

I held back a chuckle, smiling at him. The healer stood aside as I walked up to his brother. "Not anymore, Stocks. We're both here."

Javer nodded, taking a step forward. "It's a long story, sir. But luckily, we have all the time in the world to share it with you."

Stockton chuckled. It was a pained, breathless thing. "If only that we're true, my boy," he croaked.

I held my hands, hopelessly looking around for a way to help the dying man. Then I remembered something, something that was locked far away in my head, and that gave me an idea. I nudged past the Healer, picking up an apple from the fruit bowl. She asked me plenty of times why I liked apples. I told her plenty of times that I didn't know. But now I remembered.

I focused on the tasty fruit, feeling the confused stares of everyone, including old man Stockton. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. My fingertips tickled, and a warmth emmanating from my chest made its way through them into the item in my hand. I heard Sophie gasp quietly, but kept my eyes closed. It took only a few more seconds, and the feeling subsided.

I opened up my eyes and stared at the golden apple in my hand. It was glowing ever so slightly, not quite 'enchanted', but magical all the same. I walked up to Stockton, showing him what I'd accomplished. "Eat this, Stocks. It might make you feel better."

The dying man stared incredulously at the shining fruit. "Well I'll be."

I placed the golden apple in the man's hands. "Take it."

Stockton brought it up to his face on a trembling hand, inspecting it. "I don't know if I can, my boy," he whispered. "I don't know if I'll be able to bite, let alone swallow it."

I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Give it a try. I'll help."

The same warmth from before touched old man Stockton. My friend blinked at me, confused for a second, before taking a shaky bite off the apple. He chewed slowly, savoring the taste. His skin looked better almost at once, a tone darker, but not back to full health. I smiled, taking my hand off his shoulder and watching the man eat. Strength and stability returned to his hand, and when all that wa slept was the apple's core, he lay back down peacefully.

"Thank you, my boy," he mumbled. Even his voice was healthier. "I feel much better already."

I turned to my friends, unable to stop smiling. Javer still looked as confused as a sheep atop a pine tree. Sophie returned my smile, a million questions in her eyes and lips. The Healer nodded thankfully, apparently being the only one who fully understood what had happened.

Nothing made me happier than what I'd accomplish. Well, that wasn't totally true. She had made me feel happier, somehow. But not even faraway memories of her could take the smile off my face.

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3rd Person POV

Unnoticed by the five inside, a figure peered into the room. He couldn't see much, as Javer stood in the way. Frustrated, the shape moved to another window. Thomas picked up the apple, and held it up. The sneak's green eyes widened as gold and light crawled from the young man's fingertips, covering the apple slowly.

Jaw lying on the floor, the figure watched the miracle the way a crow watches popcorn drop to the ground. Once the fruit was encased with valuable metal, the boy opened his eyes and offered it to Stockton. The sneak quickly hid behind the house's closest pillar. The figure still couldn't believe it. Whatever that boy had done... it was what the figure looked for its entire life.

It would solve everything.

The figure walked away as nonchalant as possible, entering his cobblestone-and-plank house. Throwing the books off the desk, the sneak took a sheet of paper from its drawer. It began scribbling notes, understandable to a certain degree. Thoughts were running rampant in its head. The figure knew two things for certain as it planned.

Javer had brought the boy back. And the boy was touched with gold.

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Author's Notes

This made me feel great. The whole chapter, not just that last bit. I had been having an awful couple of days while writing this, and adding the final words washed everything away for a moment. Hmm... maybe I'll use that somewhere... :P

Also I Maybe sorta went past 5k again... but only by 600 words this time. :P

It looks like our hero and grumpy skeleton girl are both missing each other the same. Although, for the moment, neither one seems to mind the absence of their opposite half. Let's hope they don't bum out quickly, eh?

And who is this mysterious spy? What is their goal?

Thank you all for your patience and support. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	5. Demons

Author's Notes

I don't really know what to write here... there's no reviews to answer, no-one new has followed or favorited the story. So, I guess I won't take any more of your time. On with the story!

Oh, and sorry it's a little late.

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3rd Person POV

Obscured shapes sat around a burnt spot in their shelter. The cave was lined with netherrack and colestone, its entrance dark as the moon rose higher into the sky. It wasn't full, nowhere near it. Tonight there was no brightness other than that of the stars, the new moon hanging almost invisibly on the sky.

An armored monster revealed itself, getting up from its croutch at the edge of the small cave. It placed a hand on the cobblestone forming their shelter's entrance. "_Almost_," it reported. The fiend's voice was hideously bubbly and nasal.

A wither skeleton clad in black armor stood and walked up to the pigmen. "Indeed."

A woman raised her head. She wore tattered maroon clothes, had filthy red hair, and displayed a grimace. "How much longer? You said it would happen last night, and yet here we are again."

A second wither skeleton wade his way over, towering above the cross-legged woman. "Do not question us, blaze. The only reason we have not fed you to the troops is that our leader deemed you of competence."

The dark-haired woman huffed, turning away without answering. Unnatural light began a slow crawl into the cave, bright and dark at the same time, as if it carried a shadow within. The pigman at the entrance squealed, and the other monsters rose to their feet with a clatter of armor and bones.

"It is time," the first wither skeleton said in expectation.

The second one nodded, standing at the ready before the burnt spot in the cave. He roughly pulled the woman to her feet, ignoring the complaints and threats that came after. The strange beam wandered further into the cave as the new moon rose. The monster's and the woman stood in absolute silence.

The not-light touched burnt ground, and the sound of falling sand followed. Black dust seemed to flow from the beam as it consumed the darkened area. It circled, lazily at first, before picking up speed. The black dust was lit aflame by an invisible force, creating a light-consuming inferno. The spectacle singed its bystanders, but most gave no notice.

The beam retreated slowly from the scene, and the burning dust followed. Lying on the newly-burnt ground was a pale shape, clad in a black jacket and grey jeans. A frown twisted its lips, and the demon slowly rose. Opening jet-black eyes for the first and umpteenth time, it looked around. The monsters waited, some nervous of what could happen.

The demon rolled its shoulders, giving them all a smile. It carried poison and malice, even if that wasn't the being's intention. Its bystanders let out cheers. Or rather, squeals, hisses, roars and rattles. The wither skeletons took a bow.

"Welcome back, my liege," one said.

"Thank you for carrying out my instructions, general," was the demon's only acknowledgement. It looked around at the small cave. "Is this all that's left of my armada?"

"No, my lord," the other skeleton answered. "The rest awaits for you in the nether. We have built a portal just outside your spawning cave."

The demon smiled. "Perfect. Let's go see how much we have to work with."

All the monsters bowed before exiting the cramped space orderly. The woman stayed behind, watching the demon. It stared back, unimpressed. "Trudy."

The woman gave a small bow. "My liege," she answered curtly.

Rolling his eyes, the demon walked after his troops. "Come along."

The blaze woman did just that, following the unholy spawn out of its cave and through a black-framed purple sheen.

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Thomas' POV

We spent the rest of yesterday, after visiting Stocks, settling into Javer's house. With the help of Nadir and Harris, we moved J's bed back in place and made one for me. It wasn't as good as I remember the ones back at our valley home being, or the ones at Veridon. That was probably due to the fact that it was filled with straw bundled in cheap cloth rather than quality spider silk.

After that, the alchemist-in-training and I went off to have dinner with Sophie and the Healer at his house. We spoke in between bites of mutton roast (which awoke memories of a certain endergirl) about many subjects. "And how have you been doing?" I asked at one point.

The elder looked out of the corner of his eyes without turning away. "You know it's never been easy, Thomas. But we've managed, with varying degrees of dependence on wandering traders." He took another bite of the roast.

I frowned. "But... we- you, have grown your own food since forever. You have the orchard, and the mines."

"We've closed off most of the mineshafts," Sophie informed. "They wore down. It was too dangerous to send people in. And so far, nobody has wanted to dig new ones."

"Plus," the Healer added grimly, "there's something malignant in the orchard."

Javer almost choked on his drink. "Really?" he croaked.

Sophie nodded. "The Healer doesn't know for sure what it is, but nobody wants to go there and find out."

Her words sent a chill down my spine, and yet I was intrigued by what could be stopping the village from gathering resources. My friend's eyes flicked over to me, widening a little. "No you will not," she said firmly.

I blinked. "What?"

"I know that look too well, Thomas," she answered. "We only just got you back. You are not going into the orchard under any circumstances. Tell him, Healer."

The elder tried to hide amusement with only partial success. "I'm no longer his leader, child. He can go wherever he wants." The elder then turned to me. "But she is right. Stay with us awhile, and keep away from the orchard. I fear that whatever lives there is more dangerous that any monster."

I woke up lying on the edge of the uncomfortable, scratchy bed. Javer was sprawled all over his own, muttering something in his sleep. It was a little past dawn, with warm golden sunlight bathing us through the window. I got up and stretched, still feeling groggy. Wandering over to the glass opening, I placed my forearms on its windowsill and watched the rising sun.

The village looked peaceful from here. Only the grass and flowers surrounding every home waved. Nobody stirred in their houses. Smiling, I opened the door and stepped out. Wind caressed my face gently, warmth flooding my being. I liked this. Just standing here by myself, bathed in morning sunlight and dew, only accompanied by the elements.

A couple hours flew by with me simply enjoying the morning spectacle. One by one, everyone got up and out of their homes to start the day. Sophie emerged from the house where she and her family lived, walking over when she caught sight of me. "Morning."

I smiled. "Good morning."

"Where's Javer?" she asked, leaning against the wall beside me.

I tapped the window gently. "Knocked out cold. I calculate two more hours until he wakes by himself."

Sophie snickered. "Was he muttering potion recipes in his sleep again?"

"He was muttering something," I answered.

The blonde shook her head. "Then he'll probably be sleeping another three hours before he wakes up."

I peeked inside. The alchemist-in-training was dangling precariously from the edge of his bed. "It'd be a shame if someone were to wake the sleeping beauty," I murmured mischeviously.

Sophie smiled, her blue eyes twinkling as she walking around me and up to the door. Flashing me an evil little grin, she kicked it open. "Wake up, sleepy-head!"

Javer practically jumped, his eyes opening widely. "What th-" his words were drowned out by an 'oomph' as he hit the floor on his side. Our friend let out a groan, the sound only rivaled by Sophie's giggling.

I stepped into the house, smiling. "Doesn't this awaken old memories, J?"

The alchemist-in-training huffed, rolling onto his back. "And old wounds..." he muttered. I chuckled, bending down to help him up. "Thanks," he gasped. "Good morning to the both of you, devils."

Sophie released a happy exhale, getting over her giggling fit. "Come on, guys. Miron told me yesterday that he wanted to see you."

Javer rolled his eyes. "That kook probably just wants to ask if we found any gold on the way here, knowing him."

Sophie shrugged. "Well, you are still his apprentice, so..."

The alchemist-in-training huffed, following the blonde out the door. We walked to the center of the village, greeting early risers on our way to Miron's place. Javer knocked on the door three times, taking a step back. Several clicks signified the turning of locks on the inside, and seconds later the door swung outwards.

A man of average height stood there with a smile. He had a head of dark-grey, gold-framed goggles with red glass wrapped around his head—shielding his eyes from, presumably, failed experiments—and a satchel hung across from one shoulder to his hip. Over a green long-sleeve shirt with yellow trim, he wore a dark brown vest. To wrap up, he had simple beige pants and muddy boots.

Miron raised his goggles to rest on his forehead, revealing emerald eyes that had more than a tinge of crazy in them. "Good morning, all! I'd invite you in, but that'd be terribly hazardous to your health, yes, let me just step out."

Taking off and throwing his satchel inside, the alchemist shut his door behind him. I caught a short glimpse of the little house's interior, but all I saw were creepy green lanterns giving the only room a dark and gloomy shade. Javer nodded. "Morning, teach."

Sophie and I repeated his message, with even less enthusiasm. "It's nice to meet you again, sir," I added.

The strange man nodded. "Likewise, young man. I wanted to see you with my own eyes. Sophie told me that you were busy yesterday, so I waited until now to witness such a miracle."

The man poked me a little, walking in circles. "How did you do it, Javer?" he asked after a moment. "How did you bring him back? Did you find another totem? Is he undead?"

Our friend chuckled. "No, sir, he's not a zombie, nor did I use another totem. All I did was follow his instructions. 'Gather the sun'."

Miron frowned, examining me. I remembered now why I didn't like spending time with the crazy alchemist. "And how did you gather it? I've never taught you such a thing."

"You didn't, teach," Javer agreed. "I learned it from a book I got off a wandering trader."

The alchemist's eyes gleamed a little. "Could I perhaps borrow the book?"

"Sadly, no," his student answered. "I lost it while looking for Thomas. I'll explain how everything happened, if you want."

Miron looked over his shoulder, back into his house. "That would be much appreciated, but not here. Shall we visit the library, then?"

Javer nodded, turning to us. "You guys can go ahead and do something, alright? I'll catch up with you once we're done."

I knew Javer still had the book somewhere in his house. The alchemist-in-training had shown it to me twice so far. Once in the taiga, when I woke up, and again during our journey here. I wondered why he kept it hidden from his teacher, but decided to ask later. "Alright. Have fun retelling the story, I guess."

"Yeah," Sophie added. "Bye, J. Bye, Miron."

"Good day to you both," the alchemist answered. He turned around, with Javer tailing him. "Come along now, then. Tell me everything."

Sophie and I walked in the opposite direction. "So..." I began. "What do you want to do?"

The blonde made a face. It was very common for her features to take this form; tilted frown, hand leading a strand of yellow hair to her lips, blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully. She looked pretty cute whenever she made that weird face. "I'm not sure... we could see if the Healer needs any help."

I nudged her. "Come on. The Sophie I remember wanted to go explore every inch of this world. She used to be so much fun. What happened to her?"

Sophie hummed. "It was pretty traumatizing to watch a friend die and then turn to dust. I guess that spooked old Sophie away."

Guilt stabbed at my heart. "Sorry," I muttered.

My friend smiled. It was a sad little thing. "Don't worry about it. That's in the past. What matters is that you're back."

'Not for long', I thought to myself. The guilt carved a deeper hole inside me. What would she think when I told her me and Javer would leave the village? Would she want to come with us? Would she hate me? "Yeah," I muttered.

Sophie noticed something was off, but she didn't press it. "So, then, if you want to do something fun..." she made the face again, this time holding her left elbow with her right hand, tapping it lightly. A smile crawled onto her face. "I know something we could do."

I smiled back. "Lead the way."

We turned left, walking all the way out of the village. We were heading west, through the dense forest lining that end. I tripped multiple times, but Sophie tread swiftly over and around underbrush, indicating that she passed by often. After getting stuck in a rosebush and then stumbling on a vine wrapped around my foot, we finally broke through.

What lay in front of us was beautiful. Wide plains stretched further than the horizon, waving politely at us. Sunflowers and tall bushes nodded in our direction, along with the knee-high grass. Clouds chased each other far above, concealing the sun in their playful game of tag. I don't remember even our valley looking this magestic and large.

Sophie placed her hands on her hips, a proud smile brightening her features. "What do you think?"

I blinked, felling my jaw drop. "It's amazing," I breathed.

She took my hand, leading me further into the plains. I could see a grand mountain range to our right, but there was seemingly nothing in front of us. As if the world stopped there. Once we neared, I noticed that my assumption was not that far from the truth. The world did sort of end, in a tall cliff overlooking a massive ocean.

Sophie took me close to the edge, but still a safe distance away. I gave it another look around. The cliffs curved towards the ocean in the direction of the mountain range. In the opposite direction, they began a lazy descent towards the water, ending in pristine yellow sands. The entirety of it was most likely ten kilometers long. The water below crashed into the cliffs, an exhausted, calming motion that had probably been going on since forever.

"How often do you come here?" I asked Sophie absently.

"As often as I can," she murmured, seemingly in the same trance.

We stood there for a long while. At some point, I noticed that we were still holding hands. I let go sheepishly, pretending to be interested in a rock on the floor. I bent to pick it up, avoiding Sophie's puzzled gaze. "Now what?" I asked her, hoping the slight blush on my cheeks wasn't noticeable.

Sophie shrugged, staring back at the water. "Sometimes I just come here and sit down. I read here, too. It's just a lovely, peaceful spot to rest."

I nodded, enjoying the view once more. "Have you ever been down there?" I asked, nodding at the beach in the distance."

"Once," my friend answered. "I was curious. It's a pretty little spot too. There's turtles and dolphins near the shore, plus a coral reef far into the water."

"Wow," was my only response to the beautiful image her words conjured.

Sophie smirked after a while. "Dare you to jump."

My head snapped in her direction, an incredulous smile taking place. "What?"

"Dare you to jump," she repeated.

I peeked over the edge. It would be like falling from the top of our tallest mountain in the valley onto the plains below. Swallowing, I took a few steps back. Such a fall was surviveable, surely? Plus there was water at the bottom. I'd probably be alright-

Sophie yanked me further away from the edge, one hand covering her mouth. "Don't actually _do_ it!" she said, mildly alarmed.

I blinked at her, taking another step back. "Oh."

"I forgot you and Javer are complete boneheads," she added with a melodic laugh.

"Bonehead yourself," I said playfully. "Who believed Javer when he said the potion was 'completly harmless' that one time?"

"Oh yeah? Who almost took a flying leap off the cliff?" she countered.

I hummed, defeated. "Truce?"

Sophie suppressed a giggle. "Sure."

"Let's make fun of Javer instead," I offered.

My friend shook her head with a smile. Yellow curls bounced at the motion. "Alright, then. Remember when Miron used him as a guinea pig for that swiftness potion?"

I smiled at the pleasant memory. "He kept tripping on himself. He couldn't even take a single step without falling over!"

Sophie nodded, giggling. "And when he started making his own potions, how he almost burnt his house down?"

This time I laughed, remembering our friend's terrified face, running around and dumping water buckets on the flames. "Or when we searched the jungle temple, and that he triggered _every single trap__?_"

"Oh, lords!" Sophie exclaimed, smiling widely. "I thought that clutz would get us killed for sure!"

We kept laughing together, until we ran out of tales to remember. We were all laughed out, sitting at the cliff's edge, smiling faintly at the horizon. "I wonder if Miron's finished with J," I asked her.

Sophie turned to me. "Wanna go check?"

I nodded after a moment. "Yeah. And we could find something else to do."

My friend got up slowly. "Alright. Let's go get him, then."

Something caught my eye as I stood up. Standing proudly despite its current state was a grey tulip. Its leaves had holes in them, and its petals were bent out of shape, as if an insect or something had bullied it. The sight reminded me of _her_. "Wait, Sophie!" I called.

My friend turned, curious. I signaled for her to give me a second, bending down to unearth the flower. I held it up with a mound of dirt, its pale roots poking out here and there. Careful so as to not damage it, I walked over to Sophie. "Do you know where I could find a flowerpot around here?" I asked.

Sophie sighed, amusement in her features. "We'll have to go back through the forest."

I remembered the treacherous underbrush, suddenly fearing for the tulip's safety. I looked around to see what I could use to avoid the many horrible scenarios in my head.

Sophie must've seen the panic in my eyes, because a giggle escaped her. "Let me carry it," she offered.

"Thanks." Slowly and carefully, I transferred the precious flower from my hands into hers.

"Alright, let's go," she said once the operation was completed. I followed her into the forest, immediately tripping on a tree root.

I looked up at a giggling blonde, red and dirty in the face, infinitely thankful that I gave her the tulip.

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3rd Person POV

Miron walked into his house, quickly shutting the door behind him. The chat with his apprentice had only awaken further questions in the alchemist, but he knew that asking too many would arouse suspicion. So far, all he had learned was that the boy—Thomas— was some sort of spirit, and Javer had somehow brought his memories back, along with a very special ability.

The man brought out a piece of paper filled with barely comprehensible notes, adding more. A shape stirred in the corner, catching the alchemist's attention. "Miron," the shape began. "What did you learn from the boy?"

Miron turned back to his notes. "Not much, I'm afraid. Javer told me of a book, I assume from the ancients, that taught him to gather pure sunlight. But he no longer has it."

"According to what you saw," the shape said thoughtfully. "Sunlight means... _gold_."

Excitement tugged at the alchemist's lip slightly, translating into a vigorous nod. "Do you think he could be hiding the book from you?" the shape asked.

"I don't think so," Miron answered. "Javer has never hid something like this from me."

"And the other one?" the shape pressed. "What have you learned about him?"

"Javer told me that neither he nor Thomas know what else he could do," the alchemist answered. "All I know is what I saw that day."

"And even that is enough," the shape said, walking up behind Miron. "But it would be best if we knew the full extent of the potion your apprentice gave the boy, right? The potion that grants the golden touch."

Miron's fingers twitched. Oh what it would be like to turn everything you touch to gold, and at will... "We must find the book, Miron," the shape urged.

"Yes," the alchemist answered. His mind was running rampant with possibilities... "I'll make sure Javer isn't withholding it from us. If his words are true, then we will have to find another way."

"Approach the topic carefully," the shape advised, turning the alchemist over. The green eyes before him reflected the same craze as his own, although the man had no way to know. "We do not want to arouse suspicion."

"I'll tread lightly," Miron promised. "But I need some time to think about how I'll bring it up."

"Good," the shape whispered. "Then think. Quickly, Miron," it urged again. "We have it within our grasp."

"Golden touch," the alchemist agreed, mystified. "Don't worry. I'll find us the book. In the meantime, perhaps you should keep an eye on Thomas. In case he reveals anything new."

The shape sighed, rolling its emerald eyes. "Very well. I'll spy on the boy."

Dark-green smoke surrounded the shape, and yet its eyes did not vanish until later. The smoke carried it out the chimney and into the sky, before heading south towards the orchard. Miron watched, intrigued by his companion's abilities. Then he turned back to his notes, and started thinking.

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Adrian's POV

I took a look around, waiting for the rest of my patrol to finish up. We were patrolling the southern edge of the city, arguably the most dangerous section. Of course, crimes commited by mobs or foreigners were scarce. In reality, what all the patrols were for was to make sure no monsters got in from anywhere. And yet here we are, waiting for Bert to finish his burger.

The low crime rate in most mob cities was due to the fact that every street, alleyway, nook and cranny was lit. Even the wall, on both sides, had torches and redstone lights attached. People didn't feel all that comfortable doing wrong under the spotlight, which made everything that much safer. Except, of course, when monsters crawled in.

While such an occurrence was rare, the area with the most monster sightings was the southern edge. Yes, the streets were lit, but torchlight wasn't quite enough to keep the whole sector clear. The occasional zombie or spider got through from somewhere, but they were swiftly dealt with.

I straightened my armor, glaring at my patrol. "Are you simply going to stand there all night or are we going to get something done?"

Three of my men complained about Robert, who wolfed down the last bite of his burger, standing at attention. I kept the smile tugging at my lips from surfacing. "You done at last, soldier?" I asked him.

His response was a muffled 'sir, yes sir'. I signaled for the patrol to follow me, continuing our journey. The biggest reason they followed my lead was the fact that I just barely counted as older than them. The difference between nineteen and eighteen wasn't that great, and yet it kept them from arguing against my orders.

Sarah's leadership was completely different. The skeleton's patrol consisted of two people her age and two older, yet they wouldn't dare step out of line. I witnessed her training, and the way she treated her patrol. She barked orders, threw insults, worked them until their breathing was ragged, and never once gave them a chance to contradict her.

We kept wandering the streets, checking for dark areas where monsters could've sneaked in. So far, nothing. But it was never good to let your guard down, especially not on patrol. A few people whom we passed greeted us, mostly locals or friends. Everyone snickered when Bert's grandma walked by, stopping to chat with her grandson. I silenced them with a look.

Hours ticked by with no event. I could tell from the sag on their shoulders that my troops were exhausted. My armored feet were dragging on the ground as well, despite not wanting to admit it even to myself. I was about to call an order for us to go back home when somebody nearby screamed.

We were on edge instantly. My hand flew to the hilt of my broadsword as I pushed through the crowd in the direction of the scream. A woman held her child tightly, her face a mask of terror. Erupting from a sewer pipe were three drowned, crawling towards her. Reynolds and Gordon drew their bows, nocking an arrow in and pulling the string back.

I ran up to the family, sliding on my armor across the cobble street. Sword drawn, I struck the closest monster, cutting the head clean off its shoulders. Bowstrings 'thwup'ed, and two arrows lodged themselves in the second drowned's body, one in its chest and the other in its knee. Sadly, that wasn't enough to fell the monster completely.

The final drowned stood up. A menacing trident was held tightly in its blueish, blubbery hands. The monster roared, aiming the trident at me. Bert and Ford took up a battle stance at my side, confusing the threat for a second. A couple more arrows slowed it down further, giving me time to react. I left forward, aiming to stab the monster through the heart.

My attempt at a swift elimination was cut short as the crippled drowned grabbed hold of my ankle, making me land heavily on the floor. Pain shot from my chin to every nerve ending in my body. I suddenly regretted passing up on the more protective, dorky-looking helmets before leaving for the patrol. I flipped over, my head swimming, to defend myself.

A gruesome glowing maw pushed its way forward, wanting to claim my soul. I kicked out with my free limb, denting the monster's rotting skull. Out the corner of my vision, I saw Ford rushing forwards, presumably to deal with the armed drowned. Another arrow pierced the hideous head of the thing clutching at my foot. The flint arrowhead stuck out of an eye socket.

I kicked out a few more times, making the monster let out a bubbly growl. A final kick crushed its skull and set me free. I shook the twice-dead corpse off my foot, quickly getting up and taking my broadsword into my hands. Bert was locked with the tridented drowned, keeping it from a shape crumpled on the floor.

I shoved the monster back, finishing the battle by piercing it with my blade. Its throat gurgled for a moment before the glow in its eyes faded. I pushed the corpse away, turning to look at Bert. He was hunched over Ford, who lay grimacing on the street. Three circular wounds, equal distance apart, were carved into his chest, seeping blood.

I knelt beside them both, staring at Reynolds. "Get a medic, hurry!"

The man nodded, rushing off towards the closest Pod. I turned my attention back to the injured soldier. "Stay with us, Ford. We'll have you patched up in no time."

Ford let out a hoarse groan. "I don't know if that's fast enough, sir," he muttered.

I looked over my shoulder, relieved. "Fuck off with the drama. Reynolds is already coming back with a doctor. Just keep your eyes open, soldier."

The injured man craned his neck to see. Bert kept him from straining himself. Ford's breathing was ragged, but the amount of blood coming from his wounds wasn't entirely alarming. The medic dropped to his knees, opening a metal case with potions and bandages. Bert and I stood back, giving him room to work.

It took a few minutes, and then the medic let out a sigh. "He'll recover, eventually," he told us. "That trident pierced a lung twice, and I'm surprised it didn't pop his heart. It's a serious weapon if it tore through the armor."

I shot the item in question a glance before turning back to the medic. "He'll need to take medications for at least two weeks," he continued, "and that also means patrolling is not an option."

I huffed, nodding. A second medic was rushing over with a stretcher as I spoke. "Thank you."

Gordon was on his knees, comforting the woman and her child. Reynolds and I moved Ford carefully onto the stretcher. He picked up one end while I dealt with the other. "Alright, Ford," I muttered. "Let's get you home."

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I woke up late with an enourmous headache, smelling of rotting fish. I had my bedsheets cleaned, taking my time to choose between that and incineration, before taking a bath. Not a shower, I needed to relax after the beating me and my patrol received. Afterwards, I asked Jack for permission to just... do nothing. He agreed, thankfully, and I ordered my troops to take the day off.

The spider sisters came to visit shortly after. The young monarchs went out while Lila and I sat at the castle's dining room. She was talking to me about something, but all I registered was noise. All of a sudden, she stopped, taking my hand. I blinked grogginess away, turning to her.

Lila's maroon eyes looked up at mine, concern within their depth. "What's wrong?" she asked softly.

I heaved a sigh, rubbing sleep from my eyes. No matter what I did, exhaustion wouldn't leave. "I almost lost one of my men last night," I muttered.

Her eyes widened slightly. "How?" Her voice resembled the gentle lapping of waves at shore.

"Monsters got in," I explained, rubbing the back of my neck. It had been aching for a while. "We killed them, but not without one of our guys getting hurt. We were lucky to have been so close to a Pod. He'll be alright, but I'm not doing too well."

"Were you hurt too?" the cave spider asked, pressing up against me.

"Sort of. I fell," I explained in embarrassment, gesturing to my chin.

Lila, in a rare show of... softness, kissed my jaw and hugged me in a comforting manner. I returned the gesture, a little stunned. "I'm going to make you this offer only once in both our lifetimes," she murmured quietly. "So don't waste it."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Yeah?"

Her cheeks turned bright red. "Do you want to..." the cave spider swallowed. "Snuggle?"

Hiding my amusement was crucial if I wanted the chance to accept. It took a great amount of willpower, but I managed. "I'd like to."

Lila nodded ever so slightly, standing up and taking my hand. "Alright," she whispered. "But not a word to anyone," the cave spider hissed in warning, bringing the old Lila back.

I smiled, making a gesture of zipping my lips closed before leading her back to my room.

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Author's Notes

I loved writing this one. I think it's my favorite so far. :D

Building up the spawning scene was awesome. I really enjoyed reading it back. What does his return mean for our heroes? What's he plotting now?

It's weird that a chapter named 'Demons' revolved mostly around peaceful settings and kindness.

Also, boom, first fight scene of the story! Sure, it's a little short, but it was most certainly fun to write.

And Adrian got his first section in... forever. I think he's only had a couple of POVs in the entirety of KOW, and they were mostly short surface things. I didn't like just having him as a hollow side-character, so I'll be giving him more time under the spotlight. :)

Anywho, hope you enjoyed. Thank you for your time and support, have an awesome day.

~ LeMafiaKreb


	6. Helping Hands

Author's Notes

We got a lot of late reviews for the last chapter, so here's what I'm gonna do; I'll be answering the reviews for chapter 5 here, and the others at the end AN, so as to not halt your reading by much. :)

So, then, Reviews!

GiggiEba, Yeah, he is. He's not working for him, per se, but yeah. When Lila says she wants something, its best not to assume she wants something else, or there could be bruise- ehm, consequences. :P

ScarOfHerobrine, eh, it's fine, don't worry about it. :) Thanks, I do love describing scenery. It's something I'm good at, if I do say so myself. Heh, let's hope not. Hopefully he won't. Perhaps... that is yet to be specified. Heh, I'm glad you liked it!

ThinMint, Yeah, he just doesn't stop. And Trudy doesn't like him, but let me put her actions into perspective; if you helped a demon take over your hometown, would you try to go back if he failed? Do you think you'd be welcome? Yep, there's lots, actually. Smoke is not inherently tied to fire demons (psychological ones, for example, don't have solid elements and can turn into smoke to move across long distances easily). Maybe. Yeah, that's true. Heh, I'm glad you liked that bit! :D Heh, thanks. Well, you won't be dying any longer! And thanks for your support!

That took longer for me to answer than expected... not that I mind, however!

And now, on with the story!

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Eba's POV

I walked down the street towards the iron mason's shop, avoiding anyone and everyone's gaze. I wasn't sure if my clothes looked right, or if the description I gave the mason yesterday matched what I actually wanted. I don't know if he even understood my mumbling, or if he would actually take my petition seriously.

Not that I would admit it, but... I guess I was suffering from... some sort of demon withdrawal. Blight had always eased my worries and backed me up, had pushed me to speak my mind. The only reason I knew how to fight was because of Blight. And now I had to relearn how to do everything else without him.

I tucked my hair behind my ears, peeking into the mason's shop. The man was nowhere to be seen. I stepped inside, looking around. Swords, tools, armor pieces and other trinkets were hung up on the walls or placed neatly on shelves. I walked closer to admire a small locket when the iron mason walked through the back door.

Almost jumping out of my skin, I walked over to the man. "Uh... h-hello."

The mason smiled. "Good day, miss. What can I do for you?"

I rummaged through my hoodie's pockets, coming up with a note. "I-I... asked if you could... make a sword for me..." I mumbled, handing him the slip.

He nodded, reading the scribbles on there. "Yes, I remember that. I'll go fetch it for you."

"Th-thanks..." I whispered as he left.

The man came back with a long item wrapped in cloth. "Here. Take a look, make sure I've got it right."

I nodded, untying the lace keeping it neat and unfolding the navy cloth. Inside was a sheathed rapier, its hilt not quite what Blight's had been like, but close enough. That was probably my fault anyway... The weapon breathed as I removed it from its leather confines, a sharp sound that rang all over the small shop. The blade itself was almost identical to the sword that Blight made for me with his rot-sand when needed.

Taking a few step back, I waved the sword experimentally. It was heavier than Needlepoint, but not entirely uncomfortable. The hilt was fine despite not looking or feeling just like the old one. The mason smiled. "I take it you're happy with it?"

I nodded, hiding the little smile playing with my lips under my drawn hood. The man placed my new sword carefully in its sheath before re-wrapping it. "That will be twenty gold coins," he said, pushing the blade towards me.

My hands rummaged through my pockets again, coming up with the exact amount. Weapons weren't that necessary in the city. They were more an expensive commodity. I walked back over to the locket that had caught my attention as the man counted the money. "H-how... how much for the locket?"

The iron mason looked up. "Seven gold coins," he answered, placing his earnings in a small box.

I picked it up tentatively, inspecting the locket. It was thin and diamond-shaped, flat on one side and curved outwards on the other. Intricate designs framed the base structure, wrapping around and ending with a lovely silver chain at the top. My hands dug through my pockets again. "I'll take it. I-If it hasn't been spoken for," I hurried to add.

The man smiled again. "No, it hasn't been spoken for."

"Oh... okay." I walked over, handing him seven more shiny coins. My fingers burned where the cold metal had touched them, since I wasn't exactly wealthy at the moment.

The man nodded, putting them away. "Have a good day, miss. Pleasure doing business with you."

"L-likewise," I mumbled, tucking the little trinket gently into my hoodie's right pocket and picking up my sword.

I took the long walk to the outskirts of the city, one I had traveled a lot with Blight. It was hard to find anything for him to rot in the streets, so we frequented the little forests that sat near Globe Chapel City. I wandered towards one of the clearings my demon and I visited the most. It had a couple of tree stumps, some wildflowers here and there, and not much else.

Placing my new sword gently on top of a stump, I took off my hoodie and breathed in the cold forest air. I felt a little better now, away from all the hustle, noise, and strangers from the city. I untied the navy-wrapped package for a second time, picking up the weapon and its sheath. Suddenly remembering something, I rummaged through my hoodie's pockets again.

Using Needlepoint, I had never needed—not even considered—wearing gloves because it just felt so right and comfortable to weild it. As if it were molded specifically and expertly for my hand. But now that I was using a different weapon, I had the foresight to have some gloves made, knowing it'd probably hurt my hand to use the new sword otherwise.

I drew the rapier, enjoying the ringing sound it let out. I stared at it for a moment, frowning. A smile bloomed on my face as I swung it playfully. "I dub thee Piketooth!" I exclaimed happily, aware of how silly I was being and feeling relieved that nobody was watching.

Shrubbery and plantlife fell before me as I continued playing with my sword. An embarrassing amount of time later, I finally calmed myself down and rolled my shoulders, getting ready to practice. The tournament, as announced officially by lady Cassidy according to the newspapers, would begin in two months. So I had about one, discounting workdays and such, to get ready. Admissions weren't open just yet, so I'd have to wait for that.

I chose a thin sapling as my first opponent, standing a few meters away from it. The little tree was more or less my height, about 5'10, with branches that stretched haphazardly out. Blight had often commented on how I did much better as an offensive fighter than I did a defensive one.

'And that's a problem,' he'd tell me. 'If you face up against someone or something stronger, your defensive game will be what saves you. You need to be able to not only fight well, but defend yourself too.'

I couldn't exactly defend myself from a stationary opponent, so instead I had planned on practicing more offensive moves, hoping that phrase about the best defense being a good enough offense was true. I began with simple front-thrust attacks, which consisted on parrying any oncoming swipes and pushing forward.

I spent a while doing that, putting extra effort on my speed. Since it was heavier, my Piketooth was more difficult to swing. Once done, the little sapling had a few branches missing, and most of its leaves had fallen to the ground. I moved on, feeling bad for torturing the young tree, and started practicing avoidance moves, which would be very helpful.

According to the rules, it was considered cheating to warp during a match in the tournament, so dodging and stuff would be very useful. Most endermen proffered not to fight, so there's no common fighting style. Like, skeletons prefer using ranged attacks or swift close-quarters melee. Creepers use tricks and explosions, spiders also use tricks plus melee, and so on.

That having made clear, it meant that I would need to learn a lot of moves to dodge, parry and counter the various fighting styles of my opponents. The task seemed daunting. I had borrowed a book from the public library about combat. It had a lot of diagrams and words, and a few explanations that took a minute to figure out.

I'd flipped through half the pages in the book before setting it down to practice a few of the counterattacks. I felt silly practicing this on my own, since I wouldn't be able to tell if I did it right without an opponent. My sword became less unwieldy the more I became accustomed to it, but my hands were getting sore.

A few hours in, I set my sword down and plopped onto one of the stumps. The sun had passed its apex, now sailing calmly back towards the horizon. I massaged my hands together, grimacing at the pain. The gloves certainly helped, but they didn't save me from getting hurt. I was exhausted from swinging Piketooth around for so long as well.

I slipped into my hoodie, going over to pick up my stuff. I fiddled with the twine for a moment before managing a solid knot that kept my new sword in place, tucking it under my arm and taking a look around. The clearing was peaceful and quiet, cast in shadow by the sinking sun. I walked back to my apartment, drawing my hood and keeping my head down once I reached the city.

The receptionist at the Sapphire Apartments building looked up at me with a smile. "Hey, Eba."

A tiny smile was all I could manage. "Hi, Annie."

I considered Annie a friend, despite not getting to see her much since she spent the great majority of her time down here. She noticed my sudden lack of confidence almost immediately, but dropped the subject when all I did was avoid it. The receptionist walked around her desk, taking the navy package from me.

"How're you- hoo, this is heavy. What is it?" she asked, staring at the cloth bundle in her arms.

I tugged at my hoodie's sleeve self-consciously. What would she think about my buying an expensive weapon? "I-It's a sword." I mumbled.

Annie—I think she's a skeleton, I'm not sure—raised an eyebrow. "Really? May I see it?"

Still not looking her in the eye, I gave her a small nod. The receptionist placed my sword on her desk, unwrapping it carefully and revealing the sheathed weapon. She drew Piketooth halfway, admiring the hilt and slender blade. "It's beautiful. Where'd you buy it?"

"Umm..." I began tugging at my other sleeve. "A-at the iron mason's shop. Th-the downtown one," I added.

Annie nodded. "Are you going to participate in the tournament?"

"Y-yeah," I murmured.

"Have you inscribed yourself yet?" she asked.

I shook my head and mumbled an answer. "Inscriptions begin in a couple weeks."

"Oh." Annie sheathed my Piketooth, wrapping it back up. "I could help you practice if you want," she told me.

"Really?" I asked, blinking incredulously.

"Well," she began, looking a little unsure. "I'm not that great at fighting, but a lot of people are going to be entering the tournament. So, if you want my help, just say so."

I frowned, considering her proposal. "But... don't you work every day? For most of the day?"

Annie shrugged. "I could ask someone to cover for me."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course," she assured. "Between us, you're the only patron here who's any kinds of nice to me. I think of you as a friend, so why wouldn't I offer to help?"

I hid myself behind my hood sheepishly, feeling flattered. "Th-Thanks... I could use some help."

Annie smiled back. "Alright. Just tell me when and where."

I hummed in agreement. "Maybe... tomorrow? Just wait... wait for me here, and uh... I'll take you with me to where I like to train... okay?"

"Sounds good," the receptionist answered. "I'll be here, then. As always."

"Y-Yeah," I murmured. "Bye... see you tomorrow..."

The elevator ride was as smooth as always, taking me to the sixth floor of the apartment complex. I walked. Over and knocked on my door, giving Blight a few seconds to hide himself before entering. Only when the door shut behind me did I realize that my demon wasn't here waiting for me. The large apartment felt, as it usually did now, much too large for just me. I could deal with it's size when Blight was with me, but now... I felt small.

I heaved a sigh, dropping Piketooth on the dinner table and flopping onto my purple couch, simply staring out the large window that practically made up an entire wall. What was the point of such a wonderful apartment when... when I was the only one who lived here?

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Thomas' POV

Word about what happened In Stockton's house spread quickly. By the time Sophie and I walked back to the village, the rumors had reached every corner of every home. We were greeted by a dozen or so people, asking to see or begging for help. I was torn apart from my friend by the tidal wave of questions, and eventually led against my will into a house.

A woman took my hand, tears drifting down her cheeks. "Please," she whispered. "Help my son. He hasn't woken up in days. Please."

I blinked, unsure of what had happened, and turned around. A small boy was lying on a bed, shivering every now and then. His skin was too pale to be healthy, and despite the apparent cold he was suffering, sweat left trails leading down his forehead. The crowd that brought me here went silent, anticipation and hope lighting their curious gazes.

I turned back to the frightened mother. "I'll... do what I can," I muttered. "But I'm not a doctor."

"Oh, thank you," the woman breathed, hugging me tightly.

I gently unwrapped her hands from me, walking over to the boy. He looked worse up close, wan and tired, his skin hugging frail bones. I heaved a sigh, not feeling great about this, and placed a hand on the child's forehead. Eyes closed, I focused on doing what I had done with Stocks, and felt warmth travel from the top of my head to the tip of my fingers, and into the sick boy.

It took a minute, but eventually, I felt him stir. The child blinked, still looking sick but at least now awake, and craned his neck to take in his surroundings. "M-mom?"

Whispers broke out from the crowd as his mother ran up and hugged him. 'It's a miracle' was thrown around as someone pulled me out of the house. It was a young boy, looking as desperate as the mother had been. "Can you help my dad?" he asked. "Mom says he's in a coma, that he hurt himself in the mines. Please help him, mister."

It felt weird to be called 'mister' when I still considered myself no older than he, but I agreed despite my confusion. Everything was just whirling past. "O-okay. Take me there, then."

The kid smiled, dragging me away to the other side of the village. More people asked for help as we ran past, but I couldn't even bring myself to answer when my head swam wildly the way it was doing right now. Nothing quite made sense. We came to a stop in front of another house. The boy threw open the door, bringing me inside and towards a small room.

Inside was a woman, washing a man's face with a damp cloth. "Ma," the boy called, "I found someone who says he can help."

His mother blinked slowly, suddenly looking hopeful. "Really? Can you bring Earnest back?"

I stared at the man lying on his bed. His breathing was the only indication that he was alive. "I'm not sure," I mumbled. "But I'll try my hardest."

"Please do," the woman begged. "We miss him."

With my heart pounding from the whirlwind of activities that had gone down in the span of five minutes, I took a few steps closer and repeated the process. It took longer, but suddenly, the father drew in a sharp breath and opened his eyes. Squealing in delight, the woman cradled him close. She peppered him with kisses while the boy jumped with joy.

I walked quietly out of the house, being stopped before I could sneak away by the horde of people harassing me so. I tried to answer as many questions as possible without getting dragged away again when out of the blue, Javer and Sophie showed up.

My friends pushed through the crowd while coming over to me. The alchemist-in-training held out his hands, keeping everyone back. "Hey, all of you, quit it!"

"Give him some space!" Sophie called out.

Their words were drowned out by more questions from overly desperate people. Javer groaned, taking a vial from his coat's pockets, and smashing it in the middle of the crowd. Pink smoke billowed into the sky, causing everyone to cough their lungs out and take a step back.

"Now do we have you attention?" Javer cried. "Could you people act decently and calm the hell down for a moment?"

Everyone went quiet, staring at the three of us. "Okay, you need help," Sophie began. "Just... don't swarm or try to kidnap Thomas! What do we do whenever there's trouble in the village?"

The crowd shuffled around for a moment. "We help each other," a man answered.

Javer nodded. "Right. And we do so in an orderly fashion, not dragging people all over the place. So, just... calm down. We're going to help everyone, okay? Just wait a moment."

Both Sophie and the alchemist-in-training turned to look at me. "The floor is yours, Tom," the blonde encouraged.

I heaved a sigh, walking forward. Unsure of what to do, I just stared at everyone while I considered my options. A young girl was wringing her hands together, eyes round with worry. I gestured for her to take a step forward, kneeling down. "What do you need?"

The little girl hung her head. "It's my granpa," she whispered. "He's sick. Could you help him?"

Swallowing a tired sigh, I nodded at the girl and stood up with an outstretched hand. "Lead the way."

She smiled, taking my hand and walking me down the cobblestone path. She led me around a few turns, eventually stopping in front of a relatively big house. The big crowd, of course, followed us at a distance. The little girl opened the door and brought me inside. The house's interior was rather simple, almost empty, with only a painting hanging from the wall and a few furniture items here and there.

The girl then brought me to a room that only held a bed, a nightstand, and an unlit lantern. A frail old man lay in the bed, looking almost peaceful. The slight shivering, and the way he clutched at the bed covers revealed that he was indeed sick. I walked over, not really sure what I was meant to be doing. This situation reminded me a lot of old man Stockton.

I turned to look at the girl. "Uh... do you have an apple, by any chance?"

She blinked, confused for a second, before nodding. "There's food in the pantry. And apples."

"Could you get one for me?" I asked.

The girl nodded again, running out of the room. She came back a few moments later holding a smooth red fruit in her hand. "Here."

I took the apple from her, turning back to look at the sick man. His eyes suddenly twitched, and opened a crack. The girl walked up to him. "Don't worry, gran'pa. He's going to help you."

The man heaved a labored sigh, nodding at the little girl. I tentatively took his wrist, placing his hand atop the apple which I held in mine. "You need to eat this, sir. Alright?"

He almost laughed, but it looked like he was missing the strength to do so. Once again, I closed my eyes. That strange warmth traveled down my arm, some of it sleeping into the old man while the rest passed into the apple. The fruit's skin turned smooth I'm my hand after a while, and I opened suddenly very tired eyes to see what had occurred.

The man looked surprised, sitting up slowly. He stared at me, then at the golden apple I held. "Take it," I told him, placing it in his hand.

He blinked, bringing the fruit closer. "Thank you," he croaked, taking a bite of it.

I nodded, wandering out of the house. My limbs felt heavy, as were my eyelids. I left the house, closing its door behind me. "Well?" Sophie asked.

"I helped them," I replied with a shrug.

Javer smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Great. One down, twenty-seven more to go."

I sighed, staring at the group of worried people. They needed my help, I had no choice. Sleep could come later. "Form a line..."

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I flopped onto my bed, holding my head in my hands. I spent most of the day walking from house to house all across the village, helping folks out with this or that. I made a few golden apples, woke a few people up, did some manual labor and even helped an old lady fix her garden. I was beyond exhausted. Even if I wanted to, I probably wouldn't have been able to get up.

Someone knocked on the door, and I couldn't help but groan. The wooden slab clicked and was moved aside, revealing a familiar head of yellow curls. I blinked up at Sophie's gentle smile. "You doing okay?" she asked, sitting at the edge of my bed.

A huff was the only answer she got for a minute. "Not really," I muttered after a while. "I'm just... so, so, very tired."

Sophie hummed. "I'll bet. I think that was the entirety of the village we visited in a single day."

"Felt like we did it twice," I grumbled.

"Maybe," Sophie said thoughtfully. "But hey, you managed to help a bunch of people out."

Despite the tiredness of my limbs, warmth and happiness flooded every vein in my body. "Least there's that," I mumbled with a smile.

Javer suddenly opened the door, followed by the Healer and another man whom I didn't recognize. He was tall and beefy, wearing a simple button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, suspenders, brown pants and dust-caked old boots. "Hey, guys," Javer said. "We kinda need to talk."

I sat up, groaning with the effort. "Alright. Good afternoon to you," I nodded at the Healer and the other man.

"Likewise, my boy," the elder answered. "This is Burnham, in charge of all mining operations."

"Nice to meet you," the other man said. "Thomas, was it?"

"Yeah," I breathed tiredly, not liking where this was going.

The Healer noticed, chuckling to himself. "It it's evident that you're in no mood for workarounds, so we will get straight to the point."

Burnham took a step forward. "It's the mines."

"What about them?" I asked.

"We've been living off mostly our crops and wandering trader deals," the Healer began. "But that means we go through our food reserves bit by bit. We need to reopen the old mineshafts so we can have another source of tradeable items."

"And to open the mines," Burnham continued, "we need to clear 'em out and repair every support, not to mention set up new ones."

"So you need our help," Sophie concluded. "To kill whatever's in there and do everything else."

The man shrugged. "The rest of the miners will be repairing, replacing or setting up supports. But yes, we need you to clear out all the monsters that have surely nested there."

My face twisted in a desperate frown as I turned to the Healer, then at Javer. The alchemist-in-training shrugged, looking as if he was excited by the task simply dropped on our shoulders like an anvil. "That's what you get for becoming famous."

"Why am I famous?" I asked, getting up and stretching.

"First for dying and coming back, then for helping everyone with their illnesses and whatnot," Sophie answered instead.

The Healer smiled. "They're correct to certain extent, my boy. But you can't tell us that you and your friends are not capable enough when we've already seen you take on trapped temples. This should be no harder than that."

"We'll give you maps, tools and weapons to help us out," Burnham told us. "And I'm afraid that I won't be taking no for an answer."

Sophie blew a raspberry out the corner of her mouth, getting up beside me. I sighed, rubbing tiredness from my eyes. "Okay, then. When are we going in?"

"Right now," the Healer answered. "This is a problem that we want solved as soon as possible."

"Figures," I muttered. "Lead the way."

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"You sure we can't..." a yawn escaped me before I could finish. "Do this tomorrow? When we're ready and well-rested?"

Burnham smiled. "It's best we deal with this sooner rather than later."

I heaved a sigh, adjusting the strap for both the pickaxe hanging from one shoulder and the sheath for an iron longsword hanging off the other. My tired shoulders sagged under their metallic weight. The mining party was made up of me, Sophie, Javer, Burnham and three others, all of us equipped with a few pieces of armor, tools, weapons, and a map of the mineshafts.

I was given a leather gauntlet for my right hand, an iron shoulderpad for my left side, and a golden shinguard for my right leg that has seen better days. Sophie got an iron chestplate and boots, plus a shortsword and a pickaxe. Javer got a flimsy dagger as well as his pickaxe, something he was not happy with. Even worse was the armor; he'd only been given a leather arm and shinguard.

I stared into the horrendous opening carved on the side of a hill. Cobwebs were hanging from its roof and trailing down the walls, a red flag that warned us of what could await inside. Burnham placed a meaty hand on my shoulder. "This is the biggest one we ever dug. Goes all the way down to bedrock, something we still have not managed to break through."

"Is it really necessary for us to start from the biggest mineshaft?" I asked.

The miner smiled. "Go big or go home."

I heaved yet another sigh—possibly the tenth today—and looked over to Sophie and Javer. The alchemist-in-training was digging through a burlap sack, bringing out torches, rope and other materials, with the blonde helping him count. I raised my hand until their gazes locked on to me, waving them over. Javer threw the sack over his shoulder, following our friend.

Burnham clapped his hands together. "Ready, you three? We're sending you in first, since you're the ones clearing the way. We'll be following a few ways behind, got it?"

The three of us lined up in front of the terrifying stone maw. I nodded at Burnham, but we still didn't move. "Just like old times, huh?" Sophie muttered.

"Just like old times," I breathed. "Uh... J?"

The alchemist-in-training looked at me around Sophie's head. "Hmm?"

"Could you... try to refrain from... making attempts on our lives like when we raided the jungle temple?" I asked with a smile.

Sophie giggled, and I earned a mock glare from Javer. "Fine. Since you asked so nicely, I'll try. Not making any promises, though."

We chuckled together, and, as we always had long ago, Sophie put an arm around our necks as the both of us placed a hand on her shoulders. Holding each other like that, the dynamic trio wandered into the unknown tunnel that threatened to drown every day of sunlight in eternal, heart-stopping darkness. By myself, I probably would've given it a second and third thought before going in. But with my friends, the malicious shadows did not seem threatening in the slightest.

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3rd Person POV

A man wearing a vest lined with various colorful bottles walked into a house while muttering to himself. He shuts the door quietly behind him, making sure all six locks are in place before turning his back on it. The inside of the building held great contrast against its simple outside. It was dark, gloomily lit by strange green lanterns, with a variety of different chemicals, books, utensils and workstations strewn haphazardly all over it.

The man sat down on a squeaky wooden chair, heaving a sigh. A shape moved in the corner, lifting its head. "Well? What was all that about?"

"Th-the village folk caught wind of the boy's abilities," he answered. "They dragged him all over the place so he could heal or otherwise help them."

"Has anything new revealed itself?" the shape asked.

The man shook his head. "No, no I don't think so. At least not that I've seen. What about you?"

The shape huffed. "I don't have time to be watching him twenty-four seven, Miron. But no, I have yet to see something else. When is the next wandering trader coming in?"

"Mm... tomorrow afternoon, I think," Miron answered, checking a calendar stained with purple and green.

"Ask your apprentice about the book," the shape told him. "If he doesn't know about it nor have another copy, then we'll have to search his house."

"We'll?" the man repeated. "I don't think I should be looting Javer's house. What if I get caught?"

"Then we'll simply have a talk with the boy," the shape answered with a shrug, walking closer. "It'll make our job easier. One way or another, we will get the book."

A worrisome thought suddenly came to Miron's head. "How... how would you get the book's location from Javer if he refused to tell either one of us?"

"Don't worry about that," the shape answered dismissively. "That is only my concern. Keep your eyes on the prize, Miron," it urged. "Is this not what you have been looking for your entire life? Isn't—hypothetically speaking, of course—the life of a single boy worth golden touch? Think of the possibilities, Miron."

The alchemist's eyes went strangely misty. "I... guess you're right. One life is worth that of many I could help with such a gift..."

The shape nodded. "Now you see? I will only have to... question your apprentice if all else fails."

Miron sighed. "Alright. I'll ask the next trader what he knows. If that doesnt work... I suppose we'll have to do it your way."

"Good," the shape said with narrowed eyes. Its malevolent emerald gaze suddenly lit up. "I have a theory I would like to test... see you around, Miron. Keep your eyes on the boy."

The shape went up in dark-green smoke, drifting up to the roof and out a broken chimney pipe. The smoke left very slowly and in great volume, drifting towards the unused apple orchard that lay to the south. Miron sighed, staring a small mound of papers on his desk. There were barely-readable scribbles on there, listing the various means of obtaining the book from Javer. A new addition was written on there, the alchemist could see a couple of letters not in his handwriting.

The alchemist walked over, taking a slip of paper from the pile. _Ransack_, the list began. _Interrogate_. _Torture_.

_Are the means not offset by what we could gain, Miron?_ the note ended, in bold green letters. The man looked up, not knowing how to react. Miron believed it to be his friend. It would never harm Javer intentionally, would it? Would it? Would _he_?

Miron swallowed, sitting back down on his squeaky chair. The note's words bounced around on his head. _Are the means not offset out by what we __could gain?_ ...He didn't know. There was suddenly nothing he knew for certain.

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Author's Notes

I had a lot of trouble finishing this one. I was short 1k words, and so was forced to fill it in with lots of the same stuff, which I didn't like. But, alas, I'm—while not entirely happy—alright with how it turned out. :D

So now, before I sign of, Reviews! (Part II)

GiggiEba, for chp 4; Sarah's Garden, well, I don't remember putting Fred in anywhere important, and Dragoon was originally from KOW, so... Thanks for the support!

ScarOfHerobrine, for chp 3; The Announcement, heh, yeah. So she won't be depressed. Yeah, that'd be a nightmare. Heh, don't worry about it. :D

ScarOfHerobrine, for chp 4; Sarah's Garden, heh, I take it he's not on your good side? The Golden Touch, of course. Heh, alright. :P

Right, so, this is four more reviews from the same person I'm answering. Due to that fact, I shall dub this; ThinMint's Section!

For chp 1; Memories, Yep, better late than never. Heh, I'm glad you liked it! And feel free to ask any questions; might lead me to inspiration enough to write another To Answer A Question one-shot. :) Uh-huh, although technically everyone saw it. :P

For chp 2; The Meet-Up, that'd be very sweet of you, and I'm sure it'd help her lots. Well, a lot of people were kind of burned or hanged because they were thought to have a demon, so... Yay! Although she's really only back every time the gang meets, but whatever. Heh, I'm glad you liked it!

For chp 3; The Announcement, Yeah, let!s hope so. Yay for Simon (and Blight)! He made a promise to Javer, who has technically been his friend for longer. Can't really just up and leave... I'm beyond flattered. :D

For chp 4; Sarah's Garden, no, but he feels like he can't go back just yet. Yep, that's exactly why (totally not just something I thought'd be funny as a character trait and then managed to add a reason for), and that's true too. Yay, gardening! At least now she'll have something to do other than being floppy. :P He should be. I'm glad you liked it!

Geez, this chapter's almost 6k words long and just because of the reviews... that's awesome.

Anywho, thank you all for your time and support! Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	7. The Mines

Author's Notes

This chapter, and the next, is exclusively Thomas' POV. I was going to add scenes from the other characters in here, but then this cave-clearing stuff sort of ran away from me and, well... here we are.

Anywho, Reviews!

ScarOfHerobrine, he's with Izabell at the mo'. Yeah, poor Eba... They knew he was tired, but the situation was out of their control. Well, they kind of are. You indeed shall. Heh, yeah, be mindful of the crazy alchemist.

GiggiEba, yeah, she does. Well, she can't, the tournament's the whole reason why they split up in the first place. They should've, but Burnham and the Healer thought it'd be best if that was dealt with sooner rather than later. It kind of was, yeah. I'm glad you liked it!

And now, without further ado, let's get on with the story!

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Thomas' POV

"This got really creepy really fast," Javer grumbled. His torch's light was dwindling down to a few embers.

The alchemist-in-training was right. Cobwebs almost hid the walls and roof of the cavern in some places. They were so thick in places that we had to use our weapons to get through them. I took another torch out of the burlap sack, striking it against the wall. The coal was lit by sparks coming off its metal housing and once more allowed us to see where we were going.

Sophie was inspecting the map. "Alright, we'll be seeing a crossroad up ahead. Which tunnel are we going to take?"

"What's the difference?" I asked.

"One of the tunnels keeps going for a little while and then stops at a cavern," the blonde answered. "The other one sinks farther down and splits into more tunnels."

"I vote we close off the deeper tunnel and inspect the smaller one," Javer suggested.

"What good is a two-meter mine to the village, Javer?" Sophie asked. The alchemist-in-training shrugged.

"We actually should check the small one first," I told them. "See if that needs clearing out. Then we'll go down the other tunnel."

"Fine," Javer sighed. "We'll go into the big scary tunnel after."

We wandered deeper into the cavern. Cracked and rotten wood supports revealed themselves as we passed, giving a creepy ribcage feel to the mineshaft. Javer let out a sudden hiss, causing both Sophie and I to turn around. The boy pursed his lips. "Stubbed my foot on a rail," he muttered.

I looked down to find that he was right. Old rails began a couple feet back, trailing deeper into the shrouded unknown. "But you're okay right?" Sophie asked dramatically. "No sprained toes or broken ankles?"

"Har har," Javer answered, walking past us. "Let's just keep going."

We ventured farther, keeping a few ways away from the rails. The feeble torchlight eventually uncovered a fork in the path, framed with more supports. I turned to Sophie. "Which is the short one?"

The blonde took a look at her map. "The one on the left," she replied. "Maybe leave a torch here to let the others know we made it."

I nodded, kneeling down in front of the divide's center. The floor here was made mostly of gravel and large rocks. An idea popped into my head. I stretched the torch in my hand out to Javer. "Hold this."

The alchemist-in-training took it without hesitation. I pulled my pickaxe off my shoulder, waving it around experimentally before raising it over my head. It bounced off the stone floor with a 'clunk', leaving small dent in its wake. I brought the heavy metal tool back down twice more, until the hole I created was satisfactory. Standing up, I took the torch back from Javer and planted it in its place, using rocks to shore it up and keep it still.

I stood up, slinging my pickaxe back in its place and dusting my hands off. "Alright, let's go."

We walked into the left tunnel, lighting another torch on our way. The rail tracks had snaked down the other tunnel, so now we could walk around without worry. There were no supports in this tunnel, which made me worry a little. "I don't see any wood pillars," I commented.

Sophie hummed. "Maybe this was a natural cave they came across while mining," she suggested.

Javer walked over, hitting the stone twice with a fist. "Seems sturdy to me," he informed, catching up to us.

"And we _must_ believe such a fact-supported observation," Sophie teased.

The alchemist-in-training shrugged. "Not like you have a choice."

I shook the smile off my face, concentrating on the darkness ahead. An eerie noise echoed off the tunnel walls, sending shivers down my spine. A quick peek at my friends told me they'd felt it too. I continued onwards, trying to shape the feeling of dread. The tunnel suddenly opened up in front of us, giving way to a decently-sized cave. We walked inside, staring at the large space we found ourselves in.

Half a word came out of J's mouth before it turned into a surprised shout. Which was then replaced by a guttural groan. I whipped around to find a zombie glaring at us, three inches away from Javer's face. The alchemist-in-training stumbled back, but the rotter stuck to him like glue. I was about to reach for my sword when the telltale squelch of tearing skin reverberated all around.

His undead assailant went still, and Javer shoved him off, breathing heavily. "Holy shit..." he whispered. The lopsided dagger Burnham had given the boy was coated in green blood, clutched in a shaky hand.

I offered my own, helping my friend up. "Are you alright?" Sophie asked, finally breaking out of her stupor. The blonde was trembling.

"Uh... yeah, let's go with that," the alchemist-in-training answered breathlessly. "Mentally scarred, but alright."

I clapped his back gently twice, taking another look around. "Don't be dramatic," I told him.

"I'm not," he breathed. "I almost got eaten by a fucking zombie while my best friends watched. How is that not traumatizing?"

"We wouldn't have let you get eaten," Sophie assured.

"Yeah right," Javer mumbled, giving himself a shake and rubbing his eyes.

I walked around the cavern, making sure no more dangerous things were hiding in the shadows. "Looks like that was it," I reported, heaving a relieved sigh.

"Great," Javer answered. "Now let's go. We'll tell 'burning-ham' that we cleared this out and that they'll have to start paying us to deal with the rest."

Sophie stopped him, placing her hands on the boy's shoulders. "Javer, if we don't do this, the whole village will die."

"And if we do do this," J countered, "_we'll_ die."

I brought my pickaxe out, carving another hole in the center of the cave. "J, we'll be fine. Look, if you're worried about your precious self, we can walk in a single file with me in the lead and you in the middle."

The alchemist-in-training let out a sigh. "Alright, fine, I won't abandon you yet. Lords know you desperately need me anyhow."

Sophie smiled. "Keep telling yourself lies and you'll start believing in them soon."

I chuckled at the huff which was his only response, getting back on my feet after planting the torch. "Hand me another, J?"

Javer gave me a nod, digging through the burlap sack and handing me a torch. "Here you go."

We turned and stared at the other tunnel opening. This one looked worse, if possible, dipping into the ground at a steep-ish angle that made no promises of letting you back up. I hummed, considering a decision in my head.

"J, could you take the torch?" I asked.

The boy nodded, and I handed him the... I suppose torches count as a tool, don't they? Now with both free hands, I drew my longsword and gestured at the dark opening. "Light-carrier goes first," I told him.

"Hmph. Figures," J answered, avoiding the minecart tracks and walking down the tunnel.

Sophie and I followed close behind, and we all tread over the stone floor in silence. More eerie cave sounds rang out, but we steeled ourselves and kept going. Javer shuddered after a while. "Sophie, how long until we reach the next fork?"

"I'm not sure," she muttered. "But not too long now. It'll be visible to us in a minute, tops."

I stared ahead. The darkness was suffocating our torch's dwindling light. I pulled another one from the burlap sack, striking it against the cold ground. "Here," I told Javer, taking the near-burnt-out torch from him.

"Why can't you be the one with the torch?" he grumbled.

"Because I have a weapon," I answered.

Javer huffed. "I have a weapon too."

"But mine's actually useful," I countered with a smile.

"Fine, then let's trade," he said, holding out both the torch and an empty palm-up hand.

I nudged him onward. "Just keep going. I'm a way better fighter than you anyhow."

"Are not," he shot back.

"Javer," Sophie groaned from behind. "He fought a demon. Just hold the torch and keep your trap shut."

The alchemist-in-training grumbled, continuing down the tunnel. "He also got killed by a house..." he muttered as an afterthought.

Another lapse of silence passed over us the further we sank into the ground. It was then broken by a groan that echoed off the cold stone, sending chills down our spines. I drew my sword, Sophie doing the same. Javer brought out his knife, holding it and the torch in front of him. The slanting tunnel finally evened out, and we were met with another fork. This time, there were five different tunnels leading away, swamped in shadows.

Javer and I looked expectantly at Sophie, who brought out her map and fumbled with it a while. She turned and pointed at the one furthest to our right, not taking her eyes off the map. "This one is relatively short. We're still clearing the shortest one first, right?"

I nodded, peeking at the map over her shoulder. "Yeah. Lead the way, J."

"Hey, that rhymes," he mumbled, taking a few steps into the darkness. "What did you mean, 'relatively short'?"

"It's still pretty long," she explained with a grimace. "But it's short in comparison with the others."

The alchemist-in-training sighed. "Alright, then. Why don't you lead the way, demon-slayer? Since that sword is oh-so-much-more-useful in your hands."

I rolled my eyes, walking past him. "Come on. I can't see two feet in front of me without the torch."

We tread slowly into the first tunnel, eyes and ears on high alert. We heard more creepy noises and groans, but had yet to encounter their sources until we entered a natural cave. There was a turned-over minecart next to the door, with glittering pieces of metal sprawled next to it. The light from our one torch wasn't enough to illuminate the entirety of the cavern, so I took another out of the bag and lit it.

A deformed, green face greeted me from three steps away, wallowing in silent horror. I instinctively struck out with the torch, pushing the zombie back and lighting it on fire. The flames consumed the monster's rotting shape, and most of the dark open space came into view. Ten zombies turned to glare at us, shambling closer. Their burning brother let out pained, groans, falling over and going silent after a while.

The momentary bonfire burned out, leaving us in the dark once again. I placed the torch on the ground slowly, careful to not let it burn out. The first monster reached me before I was ready, lunging with a loose jaw towards my face. Sophie jumped in front of me, shoving her blade into the zombie!s mouth and kicking him in the chest. I hopped to my feet as the shape crumbled to the ground, shooting a thankful glance at my friend before turning, weapon at the ready.

A third zombie stumbled into the ring of light that came from Javer's torch. I swung outwards in an arc, catching the monster's side with the tip of my sword. The only response I got was a moan, the zombie ignoring me completely and charging at Javer. The alchemist-in-training let out a yelp, stabbing at the monster's forehead repeatedly with his dagger. I rushed over and pierced the fiend with my blade, finally ending the struggle between it and Javer.

My friend kicked the zombie's corpse. "Fucker didn't want to die," he breathed, looking around to make sure no more were close.

I cut down another zombie, returning to J's side afterwards. "Why didn't you use the torch?" I asked, just about pushing a zombie back with a mistimed swipe.

Another zombie popped up beside us, and Javer quickly reacted and brought down his dagger blade-first onto its skull. My friend's weapon got lodged on its head, and he struggled to release it without getting bit or scratched. A crack rang out, and J stumbled away from his assailant. Clutched Javer's hands was the broken hilt of his flimsy weapon.

The alchemist-in-training sighed, tossing it over his shoulder. "Fuck it," he muttered, bonking the zombie over the head with his torch.

It went up in flames, falling much like the first one had, and giving us a little more light. Sophie gave a shout, bringing her shortsword down on a zombie's head and splitting it in half. I had turned only for a second to watch it happen, and when I turned around, there was another monster there withing smelling distance. I shoved it back with the hilt of my longsword, retreating a couple of steps.

The zombie had an old cracked pickaxe gripped in its leathery hand, as well as an iron helmet atop its head. It growled at me, swinging pick over its head at me. I hopped away just in time, and the tool only bounced off the granite floor. I swung at it, my weapon whistling through the air. However, the blade only scraped against metal, as the zombie—unintentionally, I hoped—raised its pick to block my attack.

Both metal items shrieked as they ground against each other when I pulled away. The monster lunged, swinging the tool three times. I sidestepped and blocked, avoiding every swipe, before retaliating. I brought my weapon down, feeling it catch against the zombie's shoulder. It let out a bonechilling groan, almost pulling the sword out of my hand as it jerked back. I readied myself again, lifting the now blood-soaked blade in the air.

The monster swung, and as I sidestepped, my sword flew down to greet its rotting torso. It made a horrible squelching sound, and lots of graying gore tumbled from its midsection. The zombie miner groaned, dropping its pickaxe and falling onto its own guts. I turned away, not wanting to stare at the growing pool of blood any longer. I watched Sophie finishing off a monster with her shortsword while Javer stood nearby, holding the torch.

I walked over to them, trying to ignore the many rotting corpses lying on the ground. "Are we alright?"

Sophie heaved a sigh, trembling from the adrenaline rush. "We are. And you?"

"Yeah," I answered with a nod.

"Is that all of them?" Javer asked, lighting another torch. The light coming from other two had started fading.

I picked up the torch I'd lain on the ground, which still had a flame going. Then I tossed it into the dark, watching what little it revealed closely. It bounced off the stone and went out. There were no more groans nearby, and I hadn't seen anything hiding within the shadows.

"Yeah, I think that's all," I told J. "Plop that torch down here and let's continue."

The alchemist-in-training nodded, placing the torch down and keeping it in place with some stones. He then lit another torch and stood up. "Okay, Sophie, does the torture- sorry, tunnel, end here or what?"

The blond brought out the map again, walking closer to the torches to see. "Or what, I think. There should be another tunnel entrance through..."

She wandered off a bit, dragging Javer along by the wrist. I followed them, not wanting to be left behind and in the dark. "Here," Sophie finished, standing in front of another mineshaft.

Both the blonde and J looked at me expectantly. I rolled my shoulders, slowly letting out a breath to calm myself down. "Okay, then... let's go."

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I wiped green blood off my face, stepping away from the zombie's corpse. Sophie had been right when she said the first tunnel was 'relatively' short. We had finished it in what I hoped had been an hour, and we spent more than double that clearing the second. We were just about to head back to the main fork when another group of undead attacked us. Turns out there was a spawner which wasn't marked on the map, one we promptly destroyed.

Javer sighed, pulling his pick out of a monster's skull. The alchemist-in-training had resorted to using the tool instead of torches to defend himself after every insident in which they'd burned out and left us in the dark. "Can we go back home now? I'm starving, trembling, tired and in need of a relaxing bath."

"We all are, doofus," Sophie muttered. "But we can't go until the tunnels are clear. You know that."

I rubbed my eyes, slinging the longsword onto my back. "We're done with this one anyway. Only three more to go."

"Yeah, three longer ones to go," Javer moaned.

"Stop being such a baby," Sophie said as she pushed past him, taking the torch to light her way without giving us time to react.

We trailed behind the blonde in silence, going through tunnels, caves, dips and rises, twists and turns, you name it. Sophie slowed to a stop as we neared the fork. J and I stood beside her, confused.

"Do you see that?" she asked, pointing forward.

I squinted into the darkness. There was light coming from the main fork in the mines. Javer blinked. "Huh."

"Do you think it's Burnham and the other miners?" I asked

"Might be them finally catching up to us," Sophie said with a nod. "Unless a lava leak sprung or something."

"Let's be optimistic and hope it isn't a lava monster," Javer put in, taking the torch back from the blonde and walking onwards much like she had.

Sophie rolled her eyes, following. "Those don't exist."

"You never know," he said over his shoulder.

We left the second tunnel, meeting up with Burnham and not a lava monster, thank the lords. The man smiled at us. "Nice to see you again, guys. How've the mines treated you?"

Javer raised his arms in exasperation. "Do you have eyes? We're coated in blood!"

"Not your own, surely?" he asked.

"That's not the point!" J answered. "We've done half the mines. Could we just go home and pick this up tomorrow?"

Burnham huffed tiredly. "If only. The moment we leave, monsters from the other tunnels will repopulate the ones you've cleared. If we don't clean them all in one go, we're gonna have to start from square one."

Javer moaned, turning and leaning against the stone wall with his face. Sophie shook her head. "Don't mind him, he's just useless."

"Am not," J mumbled, not turning away from the wall.

"Have you repaired the supports on the other tunnels?" I asked Burnham.

"We've been replacing and repairing the ones on our way here," the big man answered. "As well as placing near-permanent lighting. And we were just about to start doing all that to this first tunnel."

I nodded, staring at the entrance to the shortest tunnel. "Alright. Well, I guess we'll leave you to it. Come on guys," I said, waving them over as I walked towards the next entrance.

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The third and fourth tunnels were, while not easy, dealt with in a timely fashion. Well, relatively speaking. Each one of the tunnels split into several more, and it was ages before we finally got to go back to the small checkpoint thing Burnham and his crew had set up in the main fork. The miners had a crate of food and some bottles of water on a small table with a couple of chairs, using a little redstone lamp to provide lighting. At least half of the supplies had been consumed by Javer alone.

The alchemist-in-training was still enjoying a piece of bread as we entered the final mineshaft. This was the longest and most treacherous, as it passed right through an underground ravine. It didn't exactly help that several pools of lava were marked on the map. We had agreed hours ago that chatter wasn't necessary or helpful, so we remained in silence. At least, Sophie and I did. It'd be a miracle if someone found a way to shut J up without killing him.

"How much longer?" he asked, voice muffled by half-chewed bread.

Sophie rolled her eyes, checking the map again. "We haven't even reached the first split, so we're still less than half of the way to the end."

Javer hummed, swallowing his meal. "Could we pick this up, then? I'm getting real sick of greys and whites and... whatever color granite's going for."

"So are we, nitwit," Sophie shot back. Her angry responses had become less angry and more exhausted with each one. "We've gone over this dozens of times. Why can't you shut up and cooperate, be more like Tom?"

"If I'm quiet, then the creepy cave noises come back and I don't think that helps anyone," he answered.

"I think I'd rather have the cave noises over your whining," the blonde muttered.

Javer huffed. "Well I don't, so you're just gonna have to deal with it."

Sophie groaned but didn't argue. We eventually reached the first divide, cleared out a couple of undead monsters, and continued down the main branch. We passed a wooden section of flooring, which created under our weight. It was only a half hour until Sophie stopped us. "We're about to enter the ravine, guys. Be mindful of lava."

A horrible memory of having to dive into the harmful substance to save her came back to me. I rolled my shoulders uncomfortably. "We'll tread carefully."

"We're not stupid, Soph," Javer told her.

"One of you isn't," she said with a grimace, nodding my way. "It's the other dumbass I'm worried about."

The alchemist-in-training stuttered, crossing his arms. "What's with the salt today? Lords, can't you breathe without insulting me first?"

"I can, but it's more fun if I do," the blonde muttered, folding the map and tucking it in her pockets. "Let's go."

J grumbled something I didn't quite catch, lighting the way. We did pass a couple pools of lava, but they were far away enough that they didn't cause any problems. I could just about see the orange glow from a big body of the hot substance up ahead. The tunnel's ceiling suddenly shot up, although the walls were still narrow. The ground underfoot became gravely, the crunch of pebbles and flint accompanying every step we took.

We were suddenly stopped in our tracks by a series of groans. Javer groaned, planting the torch firmly in the gravel and taking his pickaxe into his hands. Sophie and I drew our weapons, and the three of us formed a circle—or triangle, I guess—around our light source. We scanned the darkness for any threats. An arrow bounced off Sophie's blade, eliciting a yelp of surprise. A couple of zombies revealed themselves, shambling closer with a skeleton in tow.

I sprung into action, swinging my longsword at the nearest zombie. The monster growled, lunging forwards and reaching for my arm. The second one tried to get at me, but Sophie ran in and brought it down with three quick swipes. I vanquished my own foe, jumping over the bleeding corpse and charging towards the skeleton. The monster drew back the string on its bow, aiming at me.

Before it could fire, I swung my sword and split its weapon in half. Another swing snapped the skeleton's brittle bones, and in need to burn off the rest of my momentum, I took a long step and crushed the monster's skull. Sophie and I stared at each other, breathing heavily and standing over our defeated enemies. Javer let out a grunt, which caught our attention.

The alchemist-in-training was locked in battle with a zombie, and a dozen other monsters were making their way towards us. A few spiders crawled on the walls, zombies and skeletons shambled closer, and even a creeper walked calmly through their ranks. Javer took down the zombie, looking up just in time to see a spider drop down. He swung the pick upwards, lodging it in the spiders head. He brought the monster down on the gravel floor, pulling the tool from the still-writhing corpse.

Sophie and I ran over to him with our swords in the air. More spiders dropped down, crawling towards us at an impressive speed. I pierced the abdomen of one as it jumped up to eat my face. Sophie kicked hers, stabbing as the monster tried to get back up. Javer swung his pick haphazardly, somehow managing to kill two of the zombies. An arrow whistled through the air, lodging itself painfully in my arm. I suppressed a shout, not wanting to draw any more monsters to us.

We took down the monsters one by one, but more seemed to come endlessly from the shadows. Javer stabbed his pickaxe through the skull of a skeleton that stood at the wall. He pulled on the tool, finding it to be lodged in the stone. "Help!" he called, struggling to retreat from the mass of monsters closing in on him.

I rushed over, beheading a zombie and pushing another spider back. Javer used his foot as leverage and pulled, groaning as he did. The alchemist-in-training let out a yelp, popping off the wall and landing on his back. The wall his pick had gotten stuck now sported a small hole in it. A cracking sound drew my eyes back to that spot.

A few lines had spiderwebbed from the scene of the crime. The stone cracked further as I watched. The crumbling stone was somehow much louder than the groans coming off the monsters. The cracks stretched, reaching up to the ceiling. Dust and pebbles rained from above, and with a thunderous boom, a large boulder broke free.

I took a second to register what was happening. Then I turned around taking Javer's arm and dragging him away. "Run!"

My friend's complaints or his response was drowned out as the boulder plunged into the gravel. Rocks flew up like strange water around the impact zone. The floor suddenly jerked to one side, then the other, and then it fell. The three of us let out shouts, dropping with the gravel, stone and monsters into the abyss. We came to a painful stop, lying half-buried in pebbles and flint.

I looked up, my head swimming, and tried to make heads or tails of what I could see. It took a minute, but my gaze sharpened. A constant sound took a while to register, revealing itself to be the gravel sliding off the stone outcrop we found ourselves on. It flowed onto lava, melting or sinking to the bottom. Monsters groaned or screeched as they were sucked deep into the pool of glowing death.

A weak voice chuckled. "Look, Soph... lava monsters..." Javer pulled himself free of the floor with a groan, sitting down and holding his head in his hands. "Lords, that fucking sucked," he muttered.

I stretched, crawling out of the gravel myself. "Everyone okay?"

Sophie moaned, sitting up in the far corner. "Okay's a strong word... you?"

My right shin throbbed painfully. I was sure to have bruises in the morning, and my head still hadn't settled properly. "Like you say, okay's a strong word."

Javer made a wobbly way to his feet, looking around. "Um... Sophie, you got the bag?"

"The... bag?" she asked, blinking at him. "No, I dont. Why?"

I sweeper the area with my gaze, locking onto something. "I think I found it."

Both of them followed my line of sight. The burlap sack was draped over a stone outcrop, looking deflated and almost certainly empty. Everything inside probably tumbled into the lava, lost forever.

Javer let out a groan. "Fantastic. All the torches and stuff was in there. And my bread."

Sophie giggled despite what happened. I smiled, reaching for the bag to confirm we'd lost everything. The gravel supporting my weight shifting, giving me a scare and thankfully nothing else. I quickly swiped the bag off the outcrop, pulling it to me. All had not been lost; there was still a coiled length of rope, and a piece of bread.

I brought the foodstuff out, waving it over my head. "I believe this belongs to you, J."

The alchemist-in-training smiled from ear to ear, catching the bread mid-air as I tossed. "Yes! Ha-ha! At least I won't starve to death."

"A lot of stuff would kill you before that, Javer," Sophie said matter-of-factly. "For example, me, if you don't share that."

Javer huffed, splitting the bread in half and tossing part of it at the blonde. She caught it perfectly too, taking a bite and chewing with enjoyment. I crawled over to them with the bag in tow, not fully trusting my legs yet. "J, do you have a torch?"

"Mm..." he shifted through the gravel, shrouded in darkness since the magma pool's glow wasn't enough. "Yes, I got one. Uh... it's burned-out, though. What else did we lose?"

I suddenly registered that my back felt lighter than before the drop. Palming my back confirmed a frightening suspicion, causing dread to pool in my belly. My longsword was gone. It could be buried somewhere, or maybe it fell into the lava along with our other supplies. Thankfully, though, my pickaxe still hung from its sling over my shoulder.

"I have my pick, but I'm without a weapon," I told them. "And you guys?"

"I still have mine," Sophie answered. "You can have it if you want," she said, stretching the shortsword out to me.

I stopped her with a palm, nudging the sword back to her. "No, keep it. I'd rather you had something to defend yourself with. J?"

"My coat's wet," he grumbled. "Two of my vials shattered. I'm glad for the padding Miron had me sew into the pockets, otherwise I'd look like shredded cheese."

"Right... well, the good thing is we're all fine," I muttered. "Now we just have to find a way out."

"Yeah..." Javer sighed, looking up at the leftover outcrop from the tunnel entrance from which we fell. "Easier said than done."

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Author's Notes

I like how this chapter turned out. It was a lot of fun, writing the fight scenes and arguments between Javer and Sophie. :) Hope you liked it as much as I did.

Excuse my lack of enthusiasm with... well, both A/Ns. I was feeling down when I posted it, so that's why.

Anywho, thank you all for your time and support. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	8. Cliclac

Author's Notes

I have a document that's 2k word's worth of cut scenes, and 1.5k of those are from this chapter alone, not to mention the other bits and pieces I had to cut off from it. All in all, this chapter would've been redundant and 8k words if I hadn't made the changes I did. I forget sometimes how a story can comepletely run away from you.

Now, then, Review! (Cuz there's only one)

GiggiEba, I'm glad you thought so! I love writing fight scenes, so that one was especially enjoyable for me. Thank you for your support!

On with the story!

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Thomas' POV

I picked myself up on sore limbs, taking yet another look around. The walls were too steep to climb, we had no materials to build a ladder, and we didn't have an acceptably bright light source. All we had were ourselves, our tools, a length of rope, Sophie's shortsword, and a burned-out torch. At this point in time, our only hope of getting out was to wait for Burnham. Which, considering how long it took the mining team to finish with the first tunnel, could be in a day or two.

Javer had been passing his hand over the stone walls, occasionally getting swamped in darkness before resurfacing in the feeble light coming off the nearby lava lake. The alchemist-in-training had managed to stay quiet, and then a sudden shout came from his direction in the far corner.

Sophie raised her head in tired concern. "J? What is it? Please don't tell me you got yourself killed."

Our friend came back from the darkness with a strange little smile on his face. "I didn't die, but I did find us a way out."

Both me and the blonde snapped to attention. "Really?" I asked. "How? Where?"

Javer pursed his lips and clapped his hands together. Mine and Sophie's shoulders sagged. That gesture only meant that he'd over-exaggerated or was downright lying. "It's not a way out of the caves, per se, but it _is_ a tunnel, and it _is_ a way out of this little cove thing we're stuck in."

Sophie groaned. "Really, Javer? You got us hyped up for a lords-damned tunnel that leads who-knows-fucking-where?"

The alchemist-in-training stared at nothing out of the corners of his eyes for a moment. "Yeah," he answered with a shrug.

"And what do you expect us to do with that information?" Sophie asked sternly. "We don't have a light source. The torch doesn't have any more coal, there's none of that stuff nearby, and we can't exactly carry lava on our hands, can we?"

The two of them kept arguing in the background. I wandered over and picked up the torch in question, inspecting the tool. It didn't have any coal left, in its wake only burnt wood and a few ashes. I removed the iron frame from it, keeping only the bare wooden handle and staring at it. Something, an unknown impulse or just plain curiosity, brought me to place the palm of my hand around the burnt end. When I moved it, light bathed the cave.

Sophie and Javer went dead silent, turning in surprise to see what I had done. I was shocked myself, staring in disbelief at the revived torch in m hands. It wasn't burning up, exactly, but it did look like there was a flame present. It was hot, at most it felt warm, but it was brighter than any torch I'd ever seen. The light coming off that strange little fire was golden yellow, giving everything a strange hue.

Javer crossed his arms, smirking triumphantly at Sophie. "Would you look at that, we do have a light source."

The blonde huffed, picking up her sword and pickaxe, slinging both items over her shoulders. "You're still an idiot," she muttered. "How did you do that, Tom?"

It took a moment for me to tear my gaze from the tiny flame in my hands. "I... I don't know. It's like with the apple thing, I don't know how I did it or why, but it felt _right_."

Sophie searched my gaze for a second, as if thinking she'd find a clearer answer there. "Alright. We'll ignore your magic things for now, but we need to talk about that sooner or later."

Javer nodded. "Agreed. I want to know what else you can do, and if it was worth living in the woods for eight fucking months just to find you."

The blonde tilted her head at him. "I thought you said it was seven."

I blinked. "He told me it was six months."

"That doesn't matter!" J yelled at us. "Let's just go."

The tunnel was narrow, and very jagged. Pieces of rock poked at us around every uneven turn as we headed slowly upwards. Still, it gave us hope to feel even that slight incline under our feet. It took some time, but eventually, our tunnel spread out, and we connected with one of the mineshafts. Sophie took the map out of her pockets, leaning close to me so the torch's light could allow her to read it.

"The tunnel we went through doesn't show up in the map," she mumbled thoughtfully. "I'm not really sure where we are, to be honest. Might be this side tunnel here, next to the main shaft..."

I peeked at the map over her shoulder. She was pointing at a crooked line that kind of resembled a lightning bolt that branched out from the tunnel we had been walking down before reaching the ravine. "Where did we fall? Can you remember?"

"It was... just after the ravine's entrance... I think here," she said, placing her finger over the line before the word 'ravine'. "Mind you, this isn't a very detailed map, so I'm just guessing."

"We'll be fine," I said reassuringly. "It's just a straight shot, right?"

"Yes..." she mumbled, taking a closer look at the map. "I think it's closed off at the end, though."

"So?" Javer butt in. "We still have all our pickaxes."

"I don't know," the blonde murmured thoughtfully. She was making that endearing face again. "Why would they have closed off the tunnel if the village needs resources? Kind of strange."

"Ooooh," J said dramatically. "We might find top secrets that we shouldn't know, or a graveyard of people that went missing for mysterious reasons."

Sophie glared at him before rolling up the map and tucking it away. "You know that's not what I meant. On we go," she said, gesture for me to go first.

I gave her a nod, stretching the torch out in front of me and continuing on. The mineshaft was in worse state than the previous tunnels we'd traversed. Its supports were rotten and bloated, riddled with splinters and cracks. There was also the return of cobwebs, and with force. They lined the stone roof of the cavern like strange cloth.

Something made a shuffling sound behind Sophie and I. We instinctively brought out our weapons, and were met not with a monster, but with Javer's petrified gaze. We dropped our defensive stance, glaring at him. The alchemist-in-training looked taken aback. "What are you angry at me for?" he whispered. "You were the ones who almost killed me!"

"Only because you made so much tucking noise!" Sophie hissed back.

"My foot got stuck in a cobweb!" J answered through gritted teeth. "And why the hell are you whispering???"

"You started with the whispering, dumbass!" the blonde shot back quietly.

A strange clicking sound presented itself, which I registered only in the back of my mind. I pulled the torch closer to us as I turned to face my arguing friends. "Guys, calm down," I said just above a whisper. "We'll be out of the caves soon. Soph, please help J get free of the cobweb."

_Cliclaclic_. My friend huffed, kneeling down with her shortsword drawn. "Maybe we should just leave him here," she muttered, sawing through the surprisingly thick white strands. "It'd be beneficial to everyone in existence."

_Taptaptap_. I placed a hand on J's shoulder, stopping him from arguing with a shake of my head. "You'd miss him two seconds after the silence hit you," I whispered back.

_Cliclaclic_. "Debatable," Sophie muttered.

_Taptaptapclicliclic_. Javer's foot came loose, and the alchemist-in-training sighed in relief. "Thanks," he muttered.

_Claclaclicliclic_. "Welcome," Sophie answered with her head down, sheathing her shortsword.

A shiver passed through me, and the sounds finally registered in my head. I whirled around so fast I thought our torch would go out, and it thankfully didn't. I stretched my hand out, squinting to see through the gloom. More clicking and tapping ensued. Like pebbles dropping against stone and wood. Sophie and Javer tensed beside me. The blonde brought her weapon back out while Javer unslung his pick and held it out in front of him with both hands. I reached for my own tool over my shoulder, giving it a spin in my hand.

The light from my torch revealed nothing. Something moved at its edge, there one second and gone the next. It seemed to be the only thing keeping us safe from whatever it was that made all that noise. Speaking of which, the clicking had gone silent at last. I took a step back, closer to my friends. A couple more seconds of _clictapcliclic_ ensued and then all was silent again. I rolled my shoulders, thinking of a way to get our would-be assailants out of the shadows.

"Get ready," I whispered at my friends over my shoulder. "I'm going to hide the torch behind my back for two seconds. When I show it again, we're going to fight. Okay?"

"Okay," Javer muttered. Sophie simply hummed in response.

I stared into the darkness for a few seconds longer. Then I quickly moved the torch from in front of to behind me. We could no longer see anything in front of us. 'They' took a fraction of a second to react, but then the clicking came back in force. Fear beat me, and I immediately showed the bright torch again. Two dozen jewel-like crimson eyes stared back at me, with creepy fangs rubbing together menacingly underneath.

The three cave spiders hissed, looking like they were considering attacking or fleeing. I didn't give them the chance to make up their mind, rushing forwards and bringing my pickaxe down on the closest one's head. It squealed in pain, writhing beneath the tool's sharp metal head. The other two spiders dashed forward with a series of hissing and _cliclac_ noises, jumping up at me. Javer and Sophie showed up, the former piercing one monster's abdomen and nailing it to the wall while the latter split the last arachnid in half with her sword.

More tapping and clicking sounds echoed over the wall as green blood seeped from the monster's corpses. I unlodged my pick from the ground, turning to look at Sophie and Javer. My friends both had determined looks on, raising their own weapons at the darkness. I stretched my hand out again, letting the torch guide us as we ran into the unknown.

Four more cave spiders crawled feverishly towards us, two on the ground, one on the wall and another on the roof. Javer brought his pick down as the one clinging to the wall lunged at him. One of the monsters on the ground jumped for my friend as well, and I just managed to kill it with a swing to the head before it could reach him. Sophie dealt with her own assailant quickly, whirling around and shoving her sword through the last spider, which had dropped down from the roof to land on my head.

More spiders attacked us after less than a minute. I hit one of the arachnids on the head with the blunt side of my pick as it jumped, knocking it down on its back and taking the opportunity to perforate its abdomen before switching targets. Javer swung his pickaxe, and the spider that had attacked him got itself pierced through the head and stuck on the metal tool.

J was preoccupied with having a writhing spider on his pickaxe while Sophie and I finished off two more monsters. The alchemist-in-training shook the tool frantically, glaring at it in disgust. The dead spider dropped from it like a stone, much to his relief.

"I really fucking hate these fucking caves," he moaned, grimacing at the blood soaking his pickaxe.

Sophie clapped his back, looking a bit shaken herself. "Don't be such a baby. We're almost out."

I raised the torch again, standing on high alert, making sure no spiders jumped my friends while they got their heads around what happened. My own limbs were trembling, but I gave no thought to how terrifying and disgusting this whole endeavor had gotten. I could hear the faint sound of clicking in the distance. I made to take a step forward and almost tripped. The cobwebs had gotten progressively more thick and annoying as we went along. I pulled my foot from the much-too-strong webs, turning back to my friends.

"Come on, guys," I said, gesturing for them to follow. "And be careful where you step, try to not get stuck on the cobwebs."

Javer was about to say something when he stumbled, ending up in an uncomfortable-looking half-crouch with one foot all the way back where he had been standing two seconds earlier. Sophie groaned, bending down to cut him loose again. "What did he just say?"

"Easier said than done! This shit's everywhere!" J exclaimed, holding as still as possible.

"Of course it is, we're in a fucking spider den!" Sophie shot back.

"I know that! That's the whole fucking problem!" Javer answered almost hysterically.

I turned away from the black nothingness in front, walking over to them. "Guys, calm down, the both of you. We'll be fine, alright? Only a few more creepy-crawlies to get through and we're free."

Javer looked like he was about to argue or complain, but Sophie silenced him with a look. "Tom's right. Just hold still and be quiet."

I turned around and was pushed to the ground on my back. A pair of fangs tried to dig into my face. A grunt of surprise escaped me, and I immediately held the spider's face as far from mine as possible. It was hard; the monster had dug its hairy clawtipped legs into my arms and torso, as if enveloping me in a deadly, painful hug.

"Tom!" I heard Sophie shout, followed by a pained shout coming from the blonde.

Javer let out a yelp, saying 'fuck off, fuck off, fuck off' over and over again.

I couldn't see much other than the monster strapped to me. A tiny purple drop slid down its fangs, hanging by a miracle from their tip. I stared at the menacing liquid, and watched Sophie get up out of the corner of my eyes. She had a two little marks on her cheek, and was kicking a spider away while drawing her shortsword. My limbs softened from relief, and that almost cost me my life. The spider was now an inch from its target, rubbing those hideous fangs in front of my face as if savoring victory.

The monster suddenly squealed and was pulled off of me. Sophie swung her sword, and the spider was flung into a stone wall, twitching once and going still. My friend stretched out her hand, helping me up. "Are you okay? Did it bite you?"

I stared at the beast in question around her shoulder, turning back to look at the blonde and grimacing when my gaze found those tiny marks again. I raised my fingers to her cheek, brushing them over the bite. "One of them bit _you_," I muttered, looking back up into her blue eyes.

She shrugged, not pulling away. "I'll be fine. Especially if we get out sooner rather than later."

I nodded, removing my hand a second later and whirling around when the corpse of a spider was thrown against the wall. Javer walked up to us, breathing heavily. "'I wonder if Javer's alright'," he said sarcastically, sitting down and leaning against the wall.

"'Poor guy must need help, right?' 'We should totally make out while that idiot gets viciously murdered by massive fucking bugs', what a great fucking plan," he whined, struggling to catch his breath.

Sophie shook her head. "They're arachnids," she mutters.

"No, they're dead," J answered tiredly. "I killed three of them, all by myself, because you two were too busy having a tender moment."

"We almost died, Javer!" Sophie pointed out.

"So did I!" he shot back. "And... and I... fuck, I'm too tired to deal with your shit."

"So are we," the blonde muttered.

I helped the alchemist-in-training get to his feet. "Come on, J. We're almost there."

"You've been saying that for the last fucking forever," he complained, taking a couple wobbly steps forward.

I shook my head, raising our torch and leading the way. Another group of three spiders attacked us, but Sophie and I dealt with them quickly. We got to walk for a long stretch with no interruption afterwards, never letting our guard down, staring in distrust at the cobweb-plastered walls and roof. Sophie got stuck on one of the sticky clumps of it, and would most certainly had been mocked by Javer if she hadn't glared at him before sawing herself loose.

It was a minute later that a stone wall presented itself, coming out of the shadows and into the light. It was made of cobblestone and gravel hastily brought together to make a simple yet effective barricade. I put the torch down, nested among the cobweb, and turned to look at Javer.

"Sophie's going to stand guard in case more spiders come back, okay?" I told him. "I'm gonna need your help with this."

The alchemist-in-training nodded, walking closer to the obstruction. "Alright. Please don't let the those things get us, Soph," he mumbled, raising the tool over his shoulder.

"I won't," Sophie promised, shortsword at the ready.

Javer swung at the wall, and a few bits of grit flew away from it. I followed suit, picking away at a large boulder that had been placed in the corner of the wall. It shifted little by liitle, with more small rocks crumbling away from it. A couple more fell before hissing and the pit-pattering of arachnid legs started making their way towards us. Sophie adjusted her grip on her shortsword, not taking her eyes from the darkness. Javer whined, swinging his pickaxe faster.

I heard the telltale squeal of another spider dying. "Swing faster, guys!" Sophie called tiredly

Javer had gotten through to the other side, whacking the cobblestone wall frantically. I rolled my eyes and continued carving out my half of the barricade. The wild hisses and pained squeals behind us would be nightmare fuel for months. I lifted my pick over my shoulder and swung with all my might, making a little hole out of the tunnel.

Relieved and hopeful, I stuck my pick's edge through the hole and used it as a lever, dislodging a couple more rocks. Javer brought down his pickaxe on the remaining chunks of cobble, sending flint and dust everywhere. He coughed twice, waving at the air in front of them and crawled through the opening he made.

"Keep going, Thomas! I'll mine it from here," he called, his voice followed by the sound of metal hitting stone.

I huffed, rolling my aching shoulders again, and swinging the pick harder. Stone cracked and crumbled, and within less than a minute, the whole thing collapsed backwards. Dust clouded my view, and I accidentally bumped into Sophie.

I felt her jerk behind me, presumably to attack a spider. "Is it clear?" she asked, exhaustion in her voice.

I coughed my lungs out for a couple more seconds. "Yes," I croaked.

The blonde swung her weapon again, turning around and shoving me forward. "Then let's go!"

I yanked the torch from its place and rushed out of the tunnel. Javer was coughing into his jacket on the other side, squinting at us. Sophie pulled him along by the arm as we passed him. "Hurry up!"

The hisses followed our footsteps. We ran as fast as we could, trying to stay ahead of them. The ground underfoot suddenly became old planks, and I barely had enough time to register the one I stepped on as rotten before my foot fell through into nothing. I groaned from the pain of my current position, trying to haul myself out. Sophie and Javer slowed and whirled around, facing the monsters chasing us. I craned my neck and struggled to see spiders leap at them.

Javer took down one of our poisonous assailants and ran over, pulling me out of my predicament. "Come on!" he urged, rushing into the dark.

I waited for Sophie to pass me before I ran forward. The spiders lunged and crawled after us, yet we managed to keep away from them by an inch. J had disappeared into the darkness at one point, but Sophie and I were too preoccupied with not getting killed to think about it any. The blonde suddenly let out a yelp, falling on her stomach. I slid to a stop, drawing my pickaxe and swinging at the spider closest to her.

Sophie crawled onto her feet, using her shortsword to kill one of the vicious monsters as it jumped at us. "I tripped," she explained hurriedly, pulling me away from the spiders by my forearm. "Let's go, hurry!"

My friend and I rushed away from our assailants. The spiders gave chase, at least a dozen of them now. A sliver of light came into view all of a sudden. Spurred on by this little discovery, we pushed harder against the stone ground. As we neared, a familiar face peeked out at us.

Javer's eyes lit up, and he turned around. "They're here!"

"Send it now!" another voice, which I recognized as Burnham, boomed.

Sophie and I exchanged looks. The whirring of minecart wheels drew our attention forward again. A dented car rolled swiftly towards us on the stretch of rails that remained, carrying a big clump or crimson rods tied together. There were sparks coming off its top, trailing behind as it moved. We barely had time to jump apart to avoid getting run over by the dangerous payload. The spiders were not so lucky, and their corpses stopped the cart's sprint.

Javer and Burnham waved for us to hurry. We were almost there when Sophie suddenly collapsed on the ground. J cursed, and I stumbled to a stop before whirling aroud and running over to her. I swung my pick and killed a spider, bending down to help the blonde get back to her feet. She was shivering, and seemed too weak to get up.

I knocked another spider away, getting ready to pick Sophie up. My eyes locked onto a tiny flame that danced behind the horde of spiders. The fuse split into sixteen different ones and disappeared into the dynamite. I knelt over my friend, feeling a spider jump on my back. The force of the explosion nearly made me fall onto Sophie.

It was an absolute inferno for ten seconds, and then nothing stirred. My ears were ringing, I was sore all over from debris shot out by the blast, my limbs hurt almost certainly from burns, and I was caked in dust. I rolled off Sophie, coughing a couple times before sitting up. Javer ran over, kneeling down between our friend and I. "Are you both okay?"

I blinked dust from my eyes. "A cave spider bit Sophie," I murmured. "I think that's why she fell. The poising must be kicking in."

Javer let out a long sigh. "We need to get you and Soph back to the village. Come on."

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Javer and I sat, bathed in dust and grit, on a couple of stools at the Hearler's house. He was in the guest room, tending to Sophie's injuries and sickness. The alchemist-in-training groaned, stretching out one leg.

"What happened?" I asked tiredly.

"Sprained it," he explained with a grimace. "While running from the everything."

"I don't think I'd seen you run so fast without the use of a potion before," I teased.

He gave me an exhausted shrug. "I had enough of caves. And cave spiders. I just wanted to get out."

The Healer suddenly walked through the curtain that served as that room's door. Javer and I stood—slowly, and painfully—to greet him. "How is she?" J asked, beating me to it.

"She will recover," the elder answered. "The poison is not lethal, but it is very strong. We have no cattle here to gather milk and brew an antidote, so her body will have to fight it off. Her other injuries were minor, thankfully, consisting of bruises, scratches and a couple of cuts easily treated with potions and dressings."

I felt relieved, and from the look of Javer's face, he was too. "How long until she wakes up?"

The Healer scratched his beard. "A day, perhaps. Or less."

"Okay," I breathed, leaning against the wall. "That's good."

"Let me have a look at your injuries as well, my boy," the elder suggested. "You're not in great shape either. Javer here miraculously got out with barely a scratch."

"That's cuz he ran away from everything," I joked, taking a step away from the Healer. "But I'll be fine. Just want to go to sleep."

"I was nearly eaten by a zombie!" Javer exclaimed. "And then by spiders! Did you forget that I was stuck down there too???"

The elder chuckled, nudging him away with his cane. "Very well, if you won't let me see to your wounds, then get rest. If anything is especially bothersome tomorrow, then you tell me at once."

I nodded, opening the door for J, who was still ranting under his breath. "I will, Healer. Have a pleasant afternoon."

"You too, my boy," he answered, ducking back into the guest room.

I closed the door and turned around, finding a small crowd surrounding Javer. The alchemist-in-training was trying to calm them down with complaints and exhausted requests. "What's wrong?" I asked, suppressing a groan.

"Quiet!" J moaned, finally silencing the crowd. "Thank you. Lords... stuff's been stolen, they say."

I raised an eyebrow. "Stolen?"

"My marriage ring is missing," a woman explained, showing me a bare hand.

"So's my father's sword," a man added.

"I lost my tiara," a little girl said, tears forming in her eyes.

Javer and I exchanged looks. "What else is missing?" I asked.

"My brother made a golden broche for me," a young woman answered. "It, along with the one he made for my mom, is gone."

"My dad made me a gold coin," a boy voiced with concern. "I kept it hidden in a box under my floorboards, and now it's not there."

I turned to stare at one man that looked to be squirming as more items were added to the list. "What is it?"

He shrugged with a nervous smile. "I just feel silly now. I... well, I was messing around with forgery, right? I made a gold spoon, just because it felt like something useful and simple to make. Well, my gold spoon is now gone."

I nodded, listening to the rest of the crowd. "Okay, so a lot of gold was taken," I summarized.

Javer shrugged. "Apparently so."

I pursed my lips, thinking carefully. Without thinking, I dropped to one knee in front of the little girl. "What did your tiara look like?" I asked her.

She frowned and held her own wrist. "Um... it was pretty, with little nubbings on the tips. It had five of them, with little flowers on it."

I nodded and closed my eyes. I created a mental picture what the girl had described for me, and closed my hand into a fist. Warmth was drawn from everywhere within me, focusing inside of my palm like a smooth, hot pearl.

If I thought I was exhausted before, then I was nearly dead now. I almost fell to the side, just managing to stay on my feet by using an arm as support. What I held in my hand now was not pure warmth of some sort. It was a golden small crown with five spikes tipped with pearls, sporting roses carved into it.

The little girl's eyes glittered in wonder, carefully taking the tiara from me. "It's like my other one!" she said excitedly, jumping with joy.

All of a sudden, the crowd started talking over each other again. Javer but in, spitting curses at the people while keeping them off me. I stood up on uneven legs, struggling to keep my eyes open. The men and women went silent when they saw me.

"Alright, I... I can't do that for everyone," I mumbled. "I can't remake all of your stuff... or heirlooms... it's exhausting," I explained.

"But!" Javer interrupted as a man was about to speak. "We can find it. Thomas and I will help you get your stuff back, okay?"

I nodded when the people turned to stare at me for confirmation of this. "Just... not today. I'm way... way too tired."

"Yeah," the alchemist-in-training agreed. "We'll find your things, starting tomorrow. Go back to your homes, and please, please let us sleep. We've been staring at nothing but rock for at least five hours. Have pity on us."

The crowd shifted uncomfortably, mumbling agreement and then dispersing little by little. J got my arm around his neck, helping me stay upright. "Let's go, mister I'll-just-make-some-gold-our-of-thin-air. Like that wouldn't cause them to riot."

I could only groan, struggling to take five steps. My friend chuckled. "Alright, come on. Don't you die on me just yet; I won't be able to carry you all the way to the house."

I sighed, closing my eyes. "I hate being 'famous'," I mumbled, leaning heavily against Javer. The last thing I remember from then was the ground coming up to meet me at an impressive speed.

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3rd Person POV

A shape ducked back behind the Healer's hut as soon as the spectacle was over, smiling with glee. _It worked. So there IS more to your abilities, spirit_, it thought to itself as it turned into a cloud of dark-green dust_. __I must have that book..._

It rose up into the sky and, despite winds blowing from the east, drifted lazily to the now wildly-growing or hard to the south.

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Author's Notes

I can't stress this enough, this chapter just... it was a struggle for me to crop down. There were too many things I wanted to add here, too many things I had to change to keep consistency a thing, it... yeah, just, it was tough.

I didn't particularly like the ending. It was one of the things I had to change, due to chapter length reasons, but not exactly for the better. Still, overall, I think this chapter's solid.

Anywho, thank you all for your time and support! Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	9. Stolen Gold

Author's Notes

I had just as much trouble writing this one as I did the last. Both of these chapters were just... no. 'No, I don't want to be written. You got ideas? Huh? Inspiration? Too bad. No'. But, in the end, I did get through with it.

This Izabell scene was supposed to be part of last chapter, but we all know what happened with that, so I moved it to this one. As well as the Eba scene that comes after. Probably the only reason this chapter got to 5k words is because of those cut scenes.

Anywho, Reviews!

GiggiEba, heh. I would not dream of sparing my readers from every single detail during a fight scene, and especially not the crunchy exoskeletons. :P I'm glad you liked it!

ScarOfHerobrine, I'm glad you liked that! Yeah, good thing they managed to get away before it did. Hm, you'll find out in time. Thank you, and I'm glad. :)

I'll answer your review for chapter 7 at the end, by-the-by. Now, on with the story!

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Izabell's POV

"Hey! Stop it, that tickles!"

Snowdrift trilled, rubbing his cold little nose against the crook of my neck. I couldn't stop giggling, pushing the snow fox off me. My friend stretched his neck as far as it would go, until I had successfully shoved him off my own and hid the sensitive skin. "Stop it! What do you want now, Snowdrift?"

The not-so-little-anymore fox shook himself and hopped off my lap, walking a couple of steps towards the front door and then looking at me expectantly over his shoulder. I smiled at him, putting the book I had been trying to read on the table and getting up to follow. "Do you want to go outside? Wanna go play in the woods?"

My fox shook an ear and padded up to the closed door, his fluffy tail waving excitedly. I put on my lime turtleneck and opened the door for him. Snowdrift shot out, bouncing up and down all over the grass. I followed close behind as he darted into the forest, occasionally stopping to smell something he found interesting, like berry bushes or pine cones. We reached a little clearing where he sat down to clean his fur, which was now caked in mud and leaves.

I smiled at him and sat down on a fallen log, bringing my hair around my shoulder to braid it as I waited for my pet to tire himself out. Snowdrift stopped his licking out of the blue, raising his head with ears perked up. The fox relaxed after a second, getting up and streeetching before padding into the woods. I blinked, not knowing if I should follow him or not. It turns out I didn't need to, as the snow fox came back with someone in tow.

Simon looked up from my pet, blinking at me in surprise. I blushed and avoided his gaze, continuing to braid my hair. "Hi," I mumbled, peeking at him from the corner of my eyes before looking away again.

"Hi," he answered, walking over and sitting down next to me. Snowdrift walked over and rubbed against his leg, earning him some scratching under his fuzzy chin. "How are you doing?"

"M'fine," I murmured, half-hidling from him behind my hair and slightly-raised shoulders. "What, uh, what're you doing here so early?"

The creeper boy shrugged. "I asked my boss if I could take a day off. Kind of hard for him to argue against it, for... many reasons, actually."

I blinked at him in surprise. "Really? Why?"

"Well, for starters, I do pretty much everyone's job. Tim's the only one who does what you ask, but he's not qualified to do Jones' and Carla's parts, so I have to do those instead. My designs and creations are great, if I do say so myself, and it would be pretty hard to deny your best engineer a little time off. And, y'know, having the king's support doesn't hurt either," he added nonchalantly.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay. And why now?"

Simon was suddenly at a loss for words, taking a deep breath and opening his mouth with no words coming out. I suppressed a giggle, giving him time to think. "Well, I..." he began slowly.

"I miss you," he mumbled with a shrug. "And Ara. And Flick. And this little puff-ball," he added, scratching Snowdrift's head in between his ears. My fox stretched up against his touch and closed his eyes, fluffy ears bending down.

"It's... very, very stressful. Work, I mean," he went on. "I find myself thinking about the 'good ol' days' more and more often. When all we did was lie around that one tree, remember?"

I smiled sheepishly, feeling my cheeks turn hot. "Mhm, I remember it."

"That was nice, wasn't it? Just us two, sitting on a tree..." he chuckled at himself. "K-I-S-S-"

I pushed him playfully. "Y-Yeah... it was nice..."

_You two make a lovely couple_, the foreign voice in my head suddenly commented, making me jump. Simon's eyes went wide. "What's wrong?"

_Blight_! I shouted at him in my head. _Why did you do that?_

_Did you forget I was here?_ he asked with amusement in his voice.

_Yes! Why did you not say anything?_

_I did. Wasn't that the issue?_

I suddenly noticed that Simon was searching my gaze, distracted with yelling at the demon. He frowned and crossed his arms. "Izabell, What are you not telling me?"

I blinked twice. "Um..." I still hadn't had the chance to tell him, and then again hadn't planned on looking for one. "Whhhhat do you mean?"

"Your eyes," he said matter-of-factly, leaning in close. "They did the weird color-changing thing. So, then, what are you not telling me?"

"I..." I once again shrank behind myself. What would he think of me adopting a demon? "Well... d-did you hear about the... the tournament thing, for the endermen?"

Simon gave me a nod, listening intently. "Uh... Eba wanted to participate, I think she wanted to participate, but wouldn't because she didn't want Blight to get hurt, somehow."

_She believed that having a demon made her unworthy of sitting on a throne_, the demon muttered, making me sigh inwardly.

"Sh-She said that she didn't think a queen should have a demon. So, I... volunteered to... host him, for the duration of the tournament," I murmured.

Simon blinked and moved away again. "I guess that makes sense," he whispered after a moment. "I just... wonder why you didn't tell me. And when you took that desicion. And _why_ you took that desicion. Why didn't you tell me? And just... why?"

I hugged myself, moving my unfinished braid over my shoulder. "I... don't know," I mumbled. "I just... I was lonely. You're never around now, so I thought that... having some companionship outside the three others I live with would be nice."

The creeper boy seemed to melt, moving over and wrapping me up in a hug. "I'm sorry. I don't like it any more than you do," he whispered.

"S'okay," I mumbled, leaning into him and hugging him back.

"No, it isn't. I'll see if I can't get more time off, maybe on a schedule," Simon murmured thoughtfully. "I'd love to spend more time with you."

He pulled away, looking into my eyes with tender fondness. His forest-green gaze drifted down to the pendant that hung around my neck, the heart-shaped one he made me in the valley while he was sick. How he managed to make something so beautiful in that state is still a mystery the both of us.

The creeper boy carefully cupped the pendant with one hand, smiling at it and then at me apologetically. "I hadn't noticed. I should've noticed."

"I was braiding my hair," I murmured. He was close enough that if I stretched my neck... "You wouldn't have been able to see it."

Simon blinked slowly. Was he thinking the same thing? _He might be. I suppose I should step away for a moment._

I closed my eyes in annoyance, huffing angrily. _Blight!_

_I'm gone, I'm gone._

I groaned audibly, crossing my arms and glaring at a random patch of grass. Simon had a bemused smile on, still holding the pendant in one hand. "Blight?"

'Yeah..." I huffed. "He doesn't know when to talk and when he shouldn't. Sorry," I added as an afterthought, turning my head to look at him again.

The creeper boy hadn't pulled away, if anything he'd moved closer. I blushed under his gaze. He was scanning my face again for some reason. Eventually, his hand let go of the pendant and moved to my cheek. "You look so cute when you're mad."

I blinked, stuttering a little at his proximity, his _eyes_ that seemed interested in every last detail of me. Why was I so interesting to him? "Th-th-thanks? I think?"

Simon chuckled, the fond smile reaching his eyes. "But you look so much cuter when flustered."

"C-could you stop? Doing that?" I mumbled. "Th-the compliments a-and everything?"

"I could," he conceded, not pulling away. My face was as hot as an oven. "But I love you, and I love complimenting you. So you're just going to have to deal with that."

I don't know who leaned in first, but the next second I had my eyes closed and lips on his. The kiss was long and sweet, slow, gentle. His hand on my cheek pulled me to him, leaving no space for us to breathe. Suddenly, a cold little snout lodged itself in my neck. I broke into a giggle, leaning back as Snowdrift nuzzled my neck.

"No!" I got out between giggles, trying to push him off. "Stop it! Stop it, Snowdrift!"

I heard Simon chuckle in the back of my mind, and then the fluffy white weigh was pulled off me. The creeper boy was clutching Snowdrift in his arms, kissing the top of his head and earning a lick. "We were kinda busy, pal," he told my pet.

Snowdrift tilted his head and trilled. "Eh, it's fine," Simon told him with a shrug, placing the snow fox down. "Just give us a warning next time, 'Kay?"

I smiled at them, feeling a tad disappointed the moment was gone. It was the first actual kiss I'd gotten from Simon in a while. The creeper boy got up and stretched, looking around the small clearing. "Let's go home. I want to make lunch for you guys."

"Can I help this time?" I asked him, getting up too. I tucked a strand of hair out of my face and behind my ears.

"Hmm... fine," he agreed with a smile. "But not too much."

"Okay," I said with a shrug. "Come on, Snowdrift, we're going back."

The not-so-little-anymore fox skipped over and padded past me, back the way we came. Simon wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me through the forest, occasionally dropping little kisses on my head. I hugged his arm and sighed happily.

_Am I forgiven for earlier?_ the demon in my head asked.

_Not at all. Not. One. Bit._

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Eba's POV

I walked Annie from the apartment complex all the way out to the little clearing where I train. I could tell the trip was hard for her—her breathing, trembling legs and occasional stops to 'straighten her clothes' made that obvious—but she didn't once complain. I was used to the journey, having made it twice a week for months when Blight needed to feed off plantlife. I still missed my demon terribly, but it had gotten somewhat easier as days passed.

The clearing was just as I'd left it. Three stumps clumped together in the center, a poor, abused sapling near the tree line, and lots of big patches of flattened grass. I clasped my hands together, looking at my friend beneath my hood's rim. "Th-this is where I train. It's nothing special..."

It took a moment for Annie to get enough oxygen into her system to speak. "No, I... think it's nice. Out in the open... instead of locked in some... fancy gym."

I nodded, looking up at the tall oaks, then back down at her. "D-do you, um... need a minute?"

Annie opened her mouth as if to argue, but seemed to change her mind. "Y-Yeah, I think... I do... lords, I'm so out of shape..."

I helped her sit and then sat down next to her on one of the stumps, fiddling with a leaf I found on the ground. "N-no you're not... i-it's just a really long walk."

My friend smiled but didn't say anything. It took a couple minutes and then she got up and took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm good now."

"You sure?" I asked, placing my cloth-wrapped sword on my lap and unraveling it. "I can wait if you're still tired..."

"I'm sure," she answered. Annie had brought a sheathed weapon, slung over her shoulder with a leather strap. Now she slid it from its leathery confines.

It had a beautiful silver blade with blue tint, and an iron hilt that sported a few carvings and was wrapped in leather. It was too short to be a longsword, but certainly longer than an average weapon. Annie seemed to admire its features as much as me.

Her fingers ghosted over the shining metal. "It's an heirloom, belonged to my dad's grandfather. It's been gathering dust for ages in my house, so I thought I might as well put it to good use."

I nodded. "I-It's very pretty," I said hesitantly, infinitely curious but not wanting to seem like a freak about it. "D-Do... do you know what it's made from?"

Annie frowned. "No... I don't know much about swords and the like."

"Oh. That's fine..." I mumbled. "Does... th-the sword, have a name?

Annie nodded, passing her finger over its blade again. "My dad told me it was 'Death's Bane'."

"That's... a pretty cool name for a sword," I murmured, staring at the weapon in question.

Annie nodded. "Yeah. A bit dramatic, I think, but still cool."

She got up and stretched, taking the sword from its place at her stump. "I thought we were gonna practice?"

I got up hurriedly, drawing my rapier. "Y-Yeah. Um... how much do you know about fighting?"

Annie shrugged. "Nothing. I've never used anything bigger than a kitchen knife in my life."

I pursed my lips, thinking this over. "Okay... I guess we could start with... how to block an attack?"

"Wasn't I supposed to be the one helping you get better?" she asked.

"W-well... yeah, that's kind of... why we're here," I mumbled. Would she be offended by this? Should I tell her? "But... you said you weren't good at fighting... so... I thought it'd help you train too..."

Annie nodded, picking up the sword. It seemed a little heavy for her. "Okay... so, then, how do you block an attack?"

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My friend was lying on the soft grass, breathing heavily. Her sword was dropped haphazardly nearby. We trained for about three hours and a half, maybe four hours. It was certainly longer than I usually train; even my own breathing was labored. I sheathed my Toothpike and stretched, knowing I'd have sore and tense muscles in the morning if I sat down so soon. I told Annie earlier, but she only gave me a halfhearted nod and flopped down.

I put my hoodie back on, pulling the comfortable fabric over my hair. "A-are you okay?"

It took a while for her to respond. "Yeah... I'm... I'm fffine."

I wrung my hands together, feeling bad for pushing her so hard. "Y-you sure?"

Annie heaved a sigh, sitting up with a groan. "Eba, I'm... well, I'll be alright in a few... hours," she ended with a reassuring smile.

"Oh." Guilt stabbed at my soft little heart. "W-was I too hard? D-did I... push you?"

"Yeah," she answered, deepening my feeling of remorse for a moment. "But that's what, uh... fighting, teachers do, right? They push you to your limits so you get better. Did you have a teacher like that?"

The guilt was washed away by a deep sadness. I suddenly missed my demon very much. "Um... yeah, I-I guess. He did push me a bit... or... a lot. But I'm glad, cuz... y'know, I... I know how to... fight now..."

Annie nodded. "Maybe you could bring him over to help us both. Do you still train with him?"

I pursed my lips, not really knowing how to tell her. "Uh... I-I don't... we... i-it's complicated," I mumbled, sitting down. My legs thanked me infinitely.

My friend shrugged. "That's alright, it was just a suggestion. You don't have to explain anything."

I sighed in relief. "Thanks..."

Annie got up and sat at the trunk next to mine. Our breathing was the only sound apart from that of leaves waving in the wind for a moment or two. I flinched when foreign fingers suddenly began to draw back my hood.

My friend smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Why do you hide your hair?"

"Um..." I slowly, and reluctantly, pulled my hood back. "I-It's too bright, I think. I-I like it, I like the color, but I don't think anyone else does..."

Annie smiled incredulously her head. "It looks great on you. Did you dye it yourself, or...?"

I combed my fingers through the long magenta strands. "Mhm. M-My parents bought me dyes for my birthday a few years ago. I liked this one the most, so I've been redyeing it the same color every."

She nodded. "You did a good job, then. But don't hide it. I'm sure everyone who meets you loves the way it looks."

"D-d'you think so?" I asked, staring down at a steak of magenta I'd brought over my shoulder.

"Yeah, I do," Annie assured me.

"B-But I don't like it when people stare at me... it makes me nervous..." I explained.

"Well..." She seemed to consider something for a moment, and then flashed me a smile. "Maybe I could help with that."

"You're already helping me with training..." I reminded her.

"I haven't been a lot of help in that aspect," she countered, "but talking to people is my forte, so I'm sure I'd do much better helping you regain your confidence."

I hugged myself, thinking her proposal over, then took a deep breath, giving myself time to chicken out. Somehow, I didn't. "Okay... I-I guess, if you want to... help me with that."

"You sure?" she asked. "I don't want to push you either."

"I... I'm sure," I said firmly, trying to convince the both of us.

Annie nodded, rubbing her hands together. "Great! I'll see what I can think of to make you feel more secure about yourself. But, before that, I'm hungry. Let's go back to the city, okay?"

My stomach growled loudly as I got up, making my face hot. I drew my hood again and picked up Toothpike, taking long strides away from a Annie, who had broken into a giggling fit.

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Thomas' POV

I opened my eyes lazily, turning over in my bed. Everything was dark, the house lit only by gentle moonlight that cast a blue hue on everything inside. I wondered briefly how I had even gotten here, since I couldn't remember much from yesterday other than gray and a flash of green. Javer was fast asleep on the other bed, lying strewn all over the uncomfortable cloth that felt heavenly to sore limbs.

I noticed a shadow that split the beam of light entering through the window, piquing my interest. It didn't look like a person, or a tree exactly. I debated with myself wether or not it was worth getting up before swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I suppressed a groan when my muscles complained painfully, getting up on wobbly limbs and turning to the source of light.

A single grey tulip stood bent inside its little clay pot. Its leaves and petals drooped sadly, a couple of them lying dead on the soil in which it stood. A sigh escaped me as I walked closer. I lifted the soft flower with gentle fingers and stared at it fondly. Then, closing my eyes, I let warmth leave me and enter the dying plant. My eyelids felt heavier than before, but the effort to keep them open was worth it to see the tulip standing proud and tall once again.

I smiled at the flower and brushed my fingers over its leaves. "You looked so sad without me," I murmured at the plant. "I'm sorry to have been gone for so long."

A few seconds passed before I realized what I was doing. I rolled my eyes and walked back over to my bed. "I must be going mad," I told myself, rubbing my tired eyes. "Apologizing to a flower."

I stared back at the tulip from the edge of my bed. The moonlight turned its colors silver. It still reminded me of her. So many things reminded me of her. Maybe I wasn't talking to the plant, apologizing to it. I was trying to talk to _her_.

"I can't go back yet," I whispered to myself, not taking my eyes off the beautiful plant. "So many people need my help here..."

_Who needs me more?_ I wondered, laying back down and pulling the scratchy blanket over myself. _Her or them? Who do _I _need more?_

_I'm so tired_, I thought, closing my eyes and letting sleep envelop me. Dreams, not all pleasant, swam in my head. Dreams of _her_.

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Javer's POV

It took the help of two other guys to lift Thomas back to the house, which was unfortunately on the other side of the village. I wasn't much help, what with having practically run a marathon while down in the mines. We dumped my friend haphazardly down on his bed, and I then flopped onto mine. It felt like five minutes had passed when I woke up again, still sore all over, and feeling heavy from head to toe.

Thomas was still sleeping on his own bed, now wrapped up in an uncomfortable-looking blanket and with a slight frown on his face. I stretched, not quite managing to suppress a groan that escaped my lips, and got up. The light that crawled in through the window signified that it was well past morning. Getting to sleep in was a rare treat that I wish I could enjoy more often.

Opting to get revenge now that I had the chance, I walked over to the chest in the corner of my one-room house and quietly opened it. I hadn't had time to move my things back from Miron's place—potion bottles, resources, brewing stand, that sort of stuff—so there were only books in there. Still, heavy-as-bedrock alchemy textbooks were exactly what I needed right now. I began sifting through them. A familiar, ancient book surfaced from where I'd stashed it.

I considered putting the faded white-and-gold item back for a moment before turning around with it and hiding the book between my lumpy mattress and the bed frame. Once that was dealt with, I walked back to the box and brought out the biggest piece of scientific literature I could find, a hefty seven-pound beast about the quirkyness of milk, sweet berries, and compounds brewed from both.

I then walked quietly over to the head of Tom's bed, staring down at the sleeping beauty. I raised the textbook above my head, taking a single step back. Then I dropped the book onto the floorboards. The loud boom made _me_ jump, and it did more than wake Thomas. My friend sat up with a jolt, shouting in surprise and swinging a fist my way. I managed to avoid the blow only because the noise had spooked me too.

Thomas blinked, taking a few deep breaths as he processed what had happened. A couple of seconds after, my friend glared at me. "Javer! Why did you do that?"

"Revenge," I explained with a shrug.

Tom sighed, rubbing sleep from his eyes with a grimace. "Right, I forgot that's how you did things. How... I was wondering how you got me in here by yourself."

"Definitely didn't do it by myself," I answered. "Harris and Doren were in the vicinity, so they helped me lug you back here. People weigh a whole lot more when unconscious for some reason."

My friend snorted, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed to sit up. "Uh-huh. We had something to do today, didn't we?"

"Help people get their stuff back, yeah," I answered.

Thomas hummed, getting up slowly and painfully. "You sure you can tag along?" I asked him. "Maybe you should get the Healer to, y'know, heal you."

"I'm sure," he muttered, stretching his legs. "Do you know who's missing things? Did you take notes?"

"Dude, I'm an alchemist-in-training," I said with crossed arms. "If a plant grows somewhere it shouldn't, I will write that down. Who knows what it could be useful for."

"Right," Tom huffed, walking over to the door with a bit of a wobble in his step. "Then let's go."

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We spent a good couple of hours checking houses. The first one we visited, belonging to a woman who'd lost a gold pendant, stumped us immediately. She had a clear view of her bedroom door—which was locked, and where the pendant was kept—from the kitchen where she'd been cooking before she noticed the item was gone. The only other entrance was a creaky-as-all-hell window that she and her husband purposely left ajar. Only a bug of some kind could crawl through that space quietly, but then how would it pick up a heavy gold pendant?

The second house's mystery wasn't much easier to decipher. A boy had lost a gold coin his father had given him, and he kept said coin in a hidey-hole under the floorboards. These made no sound when removed, but the kid kept the coin hidden beneath a bag of little bells, which definitely made a sound when removed. On top of that, it was pretty tough to even find the hidden space. You had to move the bed, which creaked when pushed over the floorboards, out of the way before opening the impromptu safe.

On both occasions, Thomas and I had left without being able to give the families anything other than words of encouragement and hope. We again promised that we would find their things, somehow, and then moved on. The whole detective thing was apparently more work than we'd thought. For the next couple of houses it was at least easier to see where a thief could sneak in and take the gold, but we still had no culprit.

We reached the last house and stood just outside, our brains practically fried. We were both still sore and tired, but 'the villagers came first'. Sometimes I hated how much of a goody-two-shoes Tom could be. And I especially hated how much I agreed with him. I took a step closer and knocked on the door.

A young man, maybe a couple years older than Tom and I, opened the door and walked out. "Oh. Hey. Are you the ones going around searching people's houses? To find the missing gold, I mean."

"Yup," Thomas answered. "Are you missing something too?"

"My dad is," he said, rolling his eyes. "He made a golden spoon, and it's gone."

My mouth opened involuntarily in a smile of recognition. "He's the spoon guy?"

"Yeah," the young man sighed. "He's the spoon guy. Come on, I'll take you to his workshop."

He led us around the house to a shed directly behind it. There were a couple off misshapen tanning racks outside, a half-built fence, and a few of flimsy-looking tools leaning against the unimpressive structure. Inside was chaos. There was a smithing table, a fletching table, both of which looked to have been built by a gremlin, a grindstone, a stonecutter, a smelting furnace and a couple of boxes here and there, all stashed in the same crowded space.

"Tadah," the guy said, gesturing to the mess. "This is where my dad does everything. He's never really been good at much, so he tries to do a lot at the same time, which as you can see doesn't go too well.

"He kept the spoon in here," he continued after a second, opening a small drawer filled with clay molds and a couple of ugly spoons. The drawer rattled with its contents and squeaked as it was pulled out. "Dad spends most of the day here, and as you could tell this thing is very loud. We were wondering if you'd be able to find out how and who managed to take the spoon from right under his nose."

Thomas nodded. "We'll see what we can do."

"Thanks," the guy muttered, walking past us and back into the house.

Tom and I exchanged looks, turning back to the drawer with a distinct lack of gold, although certainly not of spoon. "So, J, what do you think?" my friend asked.

"I think we, as detectives, suck," I answered, looking around. "And whomever pulled this off is fucking magical. How in the everloving fuck could someone steal so much—in a day—and from such... difficult spaces is just... I can't even. Like, within an hour someone took what comes at around five pounds of gold from locked boxes, trapped hideouts, a workshop someone was currently inhabiting, all over the damn village!"

Thomas sighed. "I know, but you didn't have to shout it back at me."

"You asked me what I thought," I said with a shrug. "That's what I think."

"Maybe stop thinking about how impossible this is and start thinking of solutions to the problem," he suggested.

I blew out a long breath. "Right..." My eyes widened as an idea hit me. "I know something we could do," I told him. "Miron taught me how to brew a special potion to see people's fingerprints."

Thomas frowned at me. "Why? And why didn't you tell me from the beginning?"

"Do you know how much useless shit Miron crams into my lessons?" I asked. "I know how to make bee repellent, anti-sneeze cream, styling gel, a bird-proof lotion, and cool neon green lamps," I began listing. "There's some things I remember and then others I completely forget."

"Alright, alright," Tom said with a smile. "Let's just make that potion thing and start checking for fingerprints."

"First we're gonna have to find Miron," I told him. "I don't have any brewing equipment back home, or any materials, and that guy keeps his house under lock and key twentyfive-seven. So we need him to open the door."

"Okay," my friend said with a nod. "Where do we look for him?"

"If he's not in his house then I have no fucking clue," I answered.

Thomas fought back a snicker. "Then let's hope he's home."

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Author's Notes

I really like this chapter, although it isn't one of my favorites. I hope you guys like it too.

Here's your review review, Scar:

ScarOfHerobrine, heh, I'm glad you liked them as much as I liked writing them. Eh, it's fine, better late than never. Yeah, had to stress that enough and then some. Yes, how would he speak otherwise? :P Maybe so, maybe so. You'll find out soon enough. Heh.

Anywho, thank you all for your time and support. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	10. Capture, Interrogate, Torture

(Extremely Late) Author's Notes

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

My bad, forgot to upload this. In my defense, soccer and crying tires you out, and being tired makes you forget very important things. Please don't kill me.

Anywho, Reviews!

GiggiEba, well, try to put yourself in his shoes. You'd probably be done with everyone's shit too. :P

ScarOfHerobrine, heh, I'm glad you liked that bit. Well, he did it to see if it would force Thomas to reveal any new abilities he had. And he wouldn't give the gold to Miron for personal reasons. Gah, I've been meaning to find an animation app so I can start a proyect specifically for you. I'll get to work on that tomorrow...

ThinMint, I'm glad you liked the Simon/Izabell fluff! So are snow foxes. Um... no, yeah, you're right, it's Piketooth. I get mixed up with that sometimes, I'll fix it when I can. You'll see what she means eventually. Heh. Eh, it's fine, just glad you made it. Thank you so much for the support!

sOl-'-aLOne, thanks! Heh, you're gonna have to wait a bit more. And don't worry about the bugging you mentioned in your review on KOW; if anything, it'll help me to not make slip-ups like with this chapter...

I think that's the most reviews I've had to answer in one chapter. Excluding ThinMint's Corner, of course. Makes me feel kinda proud, and guilty for forgetting. Anywho, on with the story!

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3rd Person POV

A small crowd gathered around a man covered in a blue coat and simple brown clothing. The man's face was mostly hidden by a red balaclava, and his coat bore intricate golden trim. Gripped in his hands were two leads, attached to a couple of llamas with cloth coverings that had the same markings and color scheme as that of the man. They huffed every now and then, looking around with bored eyes.

The cloaked man was offered crops, pouches of money, food items and jewelry, which were exchanged for resources in turn. Plants from faraway lands, cocoa beans, cutlery, bread of varying kinds and more. All this came from pouches on the llama's 'clothes' despite them not looking large enough to carry this many products. A few minutes passed, and the shopping frenzy died down. The crowd of villagers dispersed, allowing one man to approach the trader.

He wore gold-rimmed goggles with red glass atop his head, a brown vest, a green undershirt, simple slacks and boots. Miron gave the man a nod. "Good afternoon, trader. I was wondering if you would have a special book in stock."

"What kind of book?" the man asked. "Brewing? Forgery?"

"Not quite," Miron answered. "A book from the ancients. I'm an alchemist, see, and my student told me he bought a book from a wandering trader that taught him to gather sunlight. But he lost it, so I was hoping you might have another."

"Wouldn't be the weirdest thing our company has sold," the trader muttered. "But I'm afraid that I do not know anything about a book like that. Do you have a description? A title, perhaps?"

"It bore no title," the alchemist answered. "Javer, my apprentice, told me it was white with gold decor on the corners and spine. Faded, of course, being an ancient book and all."

"Sorry, friend, but it doesn't ring a bell," the trader said after a while. "We don't find many ancient books. I'll be sure to ask the other traders if they've seen or heard of it."

Miron sighed and nodded. "Very well. Thank you, sir. Do you perhaps have glowstone you could trade me for?"

"I indeed do," the man answered, at least glad to have made a sale off this strange man.

Miron walked back towards his house with one pouch of glowstone powder, a potion of slow falling missing from his vest's inner pockets. The alchemist passed behind two houses, the space darknened by the buildings. A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder and pushed the alchemist to the wall. Emerald eyes stared impatiently an inch away from Miron's own.

"Well?" the shape asked. "Did the trader know anything about the book?"

"N-no, he didn't," the alchemist answered.

"Then we have no choice," the shape said with a shrug, turning away. "We must get the information from your apprentice by any means necessary. Even if that means... interviewing him."

Miron frowned, his mind running rampant. "You said that would be only as a last resort. Wh-Why don't we... search Javer's house? Like you suggested last time?"

"I thought you didn't agree with ransacking your student's dwelling," the shape said sarcastically, a dangerous smile forming on his face. "But if you insist..."

The alchemist sighed inwardly as the shape turned into a cloud of dust, falling to the ground and drifting almost invisibly through the grass. "Meet me there."

Miron watched it go, not knowing if what he was about to do was justified by having such a power. He never intended to hurt anyone, and what's more, he didn't even want the power for himself. He wanted to help the people of his village, wanted to ensure that poverty and famine would never be a problem for them again. Wasn't that worth a little ransacking?

The alchemist bowed his head and followed the fleeting shape.

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Thomas' POV

Javer knocked on his teacher's door. Well, the knocking evolved to pounding a couple blows back. My friend sighed, turning around. "He's not home, that's for sure."

"Then... where are we going to look for him?" I asked.

"All around town, really," J answered tiredly as he walked past me. "Let's split up. Kind of useless for the both of us to look in the same direction."

"Alright..." I answered, although it probably wasn't necessary; the alchemist-in-training was already shambling away.

I hummed, turning in the opposite direction. The sun was rising slowly to the top of the sky, bathing everything in its pleasant warmth. I wandered around the village, asking anyone I met if they'd seen the resident crazy person. Nobody knew where he was so I kept on walking. Eventually, I reached the healer's house. A familiar face was sitting on a little bench outside, a blanket draped over her, sipping tea from a mug and staring at nothing.

I smiled at Sophie and walked over, waving to match her attention. The blonde noticed, turning her head and moving me a tiny smile. "Hey," I greeted, sitting down beside her.

"Hey. How are you holding up?" she asked.

"Alright," I answered with a shrug. "And you?"

My friend took another sip of her tea. "I've been better. The Healer says I shouldn't do anything too strenuous for the rest of today and maybe part of tomorrow. Plus I have to drink this awful root tea to get my energy back."

I chuckled, looking back out. The Healer's house was built on a slight slope, giving us a lovely view of the village. "At least you're awake now. How bad was it?" I asked slowly, curiosity drawing me in. "Being sick?"

"I wasn't sick, I was poisoned," Sophie muttered. She sighed and looked up to the sky. "It wasn't enjoyable. At all. My bones felt cold, my eyes stung, it was a nightmare. It sort of felt like I was simply floating through nothing, curled up into a ball, unable to see what was going on. It's something I would highly recommend against."

I grimaced as she explained. Once she was done, I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "At least it's over now. Let's hope we never see cave spiders again."

The blonde hummed. "I'd drink to that, but all I have is this tea."

I smiled, giving her a squeeze. We sat there for a little while, and then the door to the Healer's house opened. The elder walked outside carrying a basket, smiling when he noticed us. "Good afternoon, children. Have any aches been bothering you, my boy?"

"Not particularly, Healer," I answered. "I just found Sophie out here and came over to say hi."

The elder nodded. "She didn't want to stay inside, despite my advice."

"I wanted to see the sky," my friend explained. "I realized how much I needed it after being underground for hours."

The Healer smiled. "I understand, child. Remember to not strain yourself if you plan on doing any work," he added, continuing his walk out of the premises. "I will be collecting sweetberries and other herbs if anyone needs me."

"Tom could help you out with that," Sophie suggested, turning to look at me.

I blinked, surprised, and then stood up. "Yeah, I could. If you want."

"It'd be much appreciated, my boy," the elder answered with a nod.

I followed the Healer, turning to glance at Sophie for a moment. The blonde smiled and mouthed 'you owed me'. I rolled my eyes and tread after the elder. We walked off to the east side of the village, entering a sparse section of forest. Sheltered by solid oaks were a bunch of berry bushes, crimson fruits hanging from their branches and shining in the sunlight. They were planted in mostly-neat rows, some spreading into the trodden paths between them.

"These will need trimming," the Healer muttered, grabbing the stray branches with the tips of his fingers and examining them.

"I thought these were spiky?" I asked, going to grab a branch myself.

The elder grabbed my wrist, gently moving it away. "To an inexperienced hand, yes," he said with a smile. "You must first ask for its permission, and then handle it gently."

"Ask for permission?" I repeated, turning to look at the bush.

"Yes. It does not have to be aloud if you feel ashamed of it," the Healer added, picking some berries and dropping them in his basket.

_Okay_... I thought to myself, reaching for the plant. _May I please take some of these?_I asked, feeling silly as I reached for the little fruits. I took hold of one and slowly pulled it off the branch. "Well done," the Healer praised, extending his arm with the basket out to me. It already had a nice amount of berries inside.

"How long have you been doing this for, Healer?" I asked, dropping the berry inside and movingnon to pick others.

"Since before I was your age," he answered. "I began my apprenticeship as Healer when I was only twelve, and I learned to pick berries on the first day."

I looked up at the elder, depositing seven berries into the basket. "Why haven't you taken an apprentice, Healer?"

The man sighed, dropping a dozen crimson fruits into the haul. "I have not had visions detailing who I should choose as my apprentice," he explained. "This began to worry me some years ago, but alas, there can be nothing done about it."

"And you're not going to look for one yourself?" I asked incredulously.

The Healer shrugged. "I already have, although I am unsure about her. Then again, my teacher struggled with me during my own apprenticeship."

I breathed a small sigh of relief. "Who do you have in mind?"

"You know her very well," the elder answered with a smile. "She has been helping me since she was a toddler, and still does to this day."

"Sophie?" I asked him.

"Indeed," the elder said with a nod. "I doubt she will agree, and she has always had some trouble with Healer traditions, but at least we will have someone capable of curing our friends when I finally go."

The thought of the Healer... passing away, saddened me a lot. "How... how much does she know?"

"Do not worry, my boy," he said with a smile. "I plan on being around for another decade or so. It will give me plenty of time to fully teach Sophie everything I know, as has been done for generations of Healers."

"Oh. Good," I murmured, returning to the task at hand.

We kept picking berries in silence. The Healer finally spoke again when we were about halfway done. "What do you intend on doing in the near future, Thomas?" he asked me.

I hummed, thinking about it as I pulled a big berry off its branch. "I... plan to visit Veridon, at some point," I murmured. "There's someone there I need to see."

The elder nodded. "I expected you would want to leave. The city is more interesting when compared to village life. Although it is nowhere near as peaceful, nor beautiful," he added with a kind of smug smile.

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah. But I don't know when I'll go. There's still things I want to deal with here, like finding everyone's things. Making sure the village pulls out of it's current state of... poverty."

"It will take some time for that to happen," the Healer commented, "but I am certain that with the help you and your friends have given us, it is more a distant reality than a dream."

"I'm glad," I said with a smile, pouring more berries into the basket. It was starting to overflow.

The elder placed a hand on my shoulder. "This is more than just good news, my boy. It is an invitation," he explain. "If you wish to leave, you are free to do so without worry. Perhaps someday you will want to return, with whomever it is you are after."

Something inside me flared with joy, but the rest of me frowned. "I don't want to go until I've made sure," I repeated. "And until everyone's things have been found."

The healer searched my gaze a moment before nodding. "I will not force you to leave. But know that you can whenever it calls for you, and that we will be here to welcome you if you return."

I looked down at the berry bush in front of me. Its branches were rough, bearing sharp thorns to keep everyone away. And yet its leaves were soft, despite it doing everything in its power to demonstrate otherwise, they were soft. I smiled, thinking of _her_ again. _I'll be back soon_, I promised, picking the last berry from its branches and moving on. I could almost hear her voice, melodic and proud, carrying a smirk.

_Hurry up, then. I'm waiting._

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3rd Person POV

Javer sighed in defeat, heading to his house. Nobody had seen Miron anywhere, at least not on his side. The boy decided that taking a nap was the best course of action, as it'd be easier to find an eccentric scientist on full batteries. He walked over, opening the door and stepping inside. The alchemist-in-training froze in his tracks, staring at an equally as motionless figure that kneeled before his chest, presumably rooting through it.

Javer frowned in surprise. "Miron?"

The alchemist stood up hastily, giving his apprentice a nervous smile. "J-Javer! I-I-I can explain, see, I was looking for one of our old textbooks-"

The door suddenly shut behind Javer. The boy whirled around, coming face-to-face with somebody he did not recognize. They wore a dusty brown hoodless cloak over a dark-green shirt and navy jeans as well as black leather boots. Their skin was pale, eyes emerald green, black hair slicked back, with a menacing smile parting his lips.

"Afternoon, Javer," the being said, cutting the boy from the door and making him back away. "It's good to finally meet you."

Javer turned to Miron over his shoulder and then back to the stranger in bewilderment. "Who the hell are you?"

"I am one of Miron's friends," they answered. Green dust trailed down their arms and off their fingertips, snaking up Javer's figure and trapping him in place like iron webs. The boy struggled against the strange bonds, glaring at his assailant.

"You have something that we need," the demon told him. Its voice carried even more insanity than its eyes did. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about a certain book, do you? A book from the ancients, perhaps?"

"What?" the boy asked. He turned his head, staring at his teacher over his shoulder. The man stood there without making a move or a sound, head down in shame. Anger burned inside Javer as he turned back to the demon. "I don't know anything about an ancient book."

"Don't be like that, boy," the malignant shape said, its smile never wavering. "It does you no good to harbor secrets from me. Now, Miron made me promise something, so I will not hurt you just yet."

The dust encasing Javer picked him up and sat him down under the window at the far wall a little harshly. The demon sneered from where he was, taking a step closer. A pale flash passed through its emerald eyes, almost imperceptible. The unholy spawn's smile faded for a moment and then returned in force.

"I have to leave you for now," it said, turning away. The dust holding Javer in place drifted away and back towards the demon, dark-green chains forming in their wake. "I have more pressing matters to attend to elsewhere."

As it walked up to the door, it turned into a cloud of jade smoke, floating to the ground and slithering like water beneath the door. The alchemist-in-training glared at the door for a moment longer before switching targets. "Well?" he asked sharply. "What do you plan on doing with me now?"

Miron turned his head slowly, looking at his apprentice from the corner of his eyes. "I meant no harm, Javer," he muttered. "I only wanted to help."

Javer's gaze burned into the man. "What did you make him promise?"

"That he would let me... interrogate you before doing so himself," the alchemist answered glumly.

"Well, now you have the chance," his apprentice spat through gritted teeth. "Try all you want. But I won't tell you, or him, where I put the book."

"Please understand Javer," the man pleaded.

"Understand what?" Javer asked angrily. "That you've been consorting with a demon? That you fucking chained me up in my own house just so you can find a book?"

"It's more than just a book," Miron said told him. "And you know that."

"You are willing to let a demon torture your apprentice for _gold_?" his apprentice asked incredulously. "For the ability to turn things into precious metal?"

"N-No, I'm not," the man answered, almost frantic. "Th-that's why I a-asked him, t-to promise..."

"And you trust the word of a demon?" Javer exclaimed incredulously.

Miron fumbled for words. "I-I, h-he... I just... I wanted everyone to... to respect me," he explained glumly. "I wanted people... t-to see that I am not just a-a-a weirdo wh-who lives locked up in his house, mixing things for profit.

"I wanted them to look up to me, wanted you to look up to me, I just wanted appreciation!" he shouted in frustration, tears forming in his eyes. "I wanted respect! I thought that, if I could find a way to turn metal, turn anything into gold and fix our monetary problems, people would finally... respect me...

"Nobody listens to me," the man went on sadly. "They don't take me seriously, not even you. I try so hard to get them to see that my job is not to be made a mockery of. That it's important, that it helps. That I help. I just... wanted..."

Javer's glare didn't falter. "Why would I respect you, why now, when you've shown yourself to be an immature man who would do anything for a litttle attention? Why would anyone take you seriously, especially now? Thomas has been trying to help, has actually been helping, while all you've done is search my house!"

Miron's mouth opened but no sound came out. The man seemed to crumple inwardly as he sat down on the edge of his apprentice's bed. "I want to help like Thomas does," he whispered. "I want to be able to turn things into gold, to help people who are sick. Please, Javer. Tell me where the book is."

"The book doesn't give you those abilities," Javer said firmly. "Thomas is a spirit. Why don't you get that? All the sunlight can do is give life back to him, help him remember things from lifetimes ago. That's it."

"Did you experiment on the substance?" the man asked tiredly. "Did you test your hypothesis? Did you try using the sunlight for anything else?"

His apprentice turned away after a moment. "No," he admitted.

"Then please, show me where you hid the book," Miron asked softly. "I want to help the village. And the knowledge your book contains might be exactly what I need to do that."

"You don't need to be able to turn things into gold to help," Javer spit, still avoiding the man's gaze. "You need to be there and show everyone that you do want to help them. I'm not telling you where the book is, Miron. So you're just going to have to find it yourself."

Miron stared at his apprentice sadly and sighed. "He will hurt you if you don't tell me," the man reminded him.

"Why do you care?" the boy asked pointedly. "I thought all you wanted was the book. And that demon can torture me all he wants, but I am not telling either of you."

"Javer, please," Miron begged. "You are my student, you're like a son to me. I don't want you to get hurt. Just... tell me where it is."

The alchemist-in-training huffed. "If you didn't want me to get hurt you would've cut these chains off and helped everyone banish the demon."

The man bowed his head. "He only wants to help, like I do," he muttered. "Please let us help, Javer."

"Help yourself," the boy spat. "That seem to be the only person you care about."

Miron sighed, opening his mouth to speak again. A soft grating, similar to the sound of falling sand, came from the door. The demon reappeared from a small whirlwind of dark-green dust, looking satisfied in the way a cat would feel after capturing a bird. The unholy spawn's sneer returned when he noticed a distinct lack of an ancient book.

"Well, Miron?" it asked sarcastically. "Did your student reveal to you where he hid the book?"

The alchemist looked jus at the demon and then down at Javer. His apprenticed shot daggers at him with his eyes. Miron sighed, silently asking Javer for forgiveness. "No," he muttered, turning away.

Javer let out a cry as the chains around him tightened painfully. "So I guess it is my turn to 'interrogate' him," the demon said gleefully, walking up to the boy.

"I won't tell you anything," Javer said through gritted teeth. "You're wasting your time."

"I don't have to wait for you to reveal information," the demon said, kneeling down. It put its hand on the boy's head, pressing its thumb against his forehead.. "I can possess you, and learn what I need to by force, before leaving you as an empty husk."

The alchemist-in-training looked over at Miron out of the corners of his eyes, showing how much he hated the man. His mentor looked lost and terribly saddened.

The demon chuckled, forcing Javer to look at him again. "He won't help you," the being said, its other hand slowly turning to dust. "Miron's on my side."

The boy sneaked another glance at the man, but he was no longer watching. The unholy spawn raised its changing hand above Javer's head, meaning to infiltrate his mind and reduce it to nothing. The boy screamed painfully as what felt like a thousand red-hot nails began perforating his skull.

Then the demon was shoved away, hitting the bed frame on the opposite side with a pained grunt and falling to the ground. The pain suddenly vanished, and Javer drew in quick, labored breaths. Miron reached down to the chains, taking a vial from inside his vest and pouring its silver contents onto the green, metallic chains. The boy's bonds became as weak as paper when the strange substance soaked in, and Miron was able to pull him away from the wall. Javer groaned, straining to get to his feet even with the help of his mentor.

"Why would you attack me, Miron?" the demon asked, getting up slowly. Its smile was reversed into a stern frown. "I thought we were working together to achieve the same goal," it asked, walking closer.

"I wanted to help everyone," the alchemist said, a hand sneaking into his vest. "You wanted gold."

The man pulled out another vial and threw it at the face of the demon. It exploded into various shards of glass, and a thick grey smoke covered the one-room house. The unholy spawn released an enraged shout, coughing and waving its arms to try and dissipate the smoke. It heard the sound of the door being thrown open and closed, as well as coughing on the other side. The demon growled, going up in a cloud of smoke and shooting up to the roof. It spread to every corner, using their position as reference points and finding a window from which to escape through.

Miron pulled his goggles from where they sat and moved them to his forehead. Javer coughed again, holding his head in his hands. "Smoke i-in a bottle?" he croaked, blinking at his mentor.

The man nodded. "Using food-grade fuels to generate it," he muttered, looking back at the house. A familiar jade cloud rose into the sky and fled south, sipping into the thick and overgrown branches of the abandoned orchard. "We need to warn everyone of him. It is of utmost importance that we find somewhere safer to live."

"I-I think tha... I'm 'onna pass out..." Javer mumbled, closing his eyes and going limp in Miron's arms.

The alchemist checked his breathing and pulse, sighing in relief when he realized the boy was still alive. He got tried to pick him up, but was unable to properly. Guilt was eating him alive. Suddenly, Thomas and Sophie walked around a house, heading towards them, talking with each other. Miron got up, waving at them. "Hey! We need th-..." his words caught in his throat.

Both young people turned their heads and stared at him in surprise. Miron swallowed his pride. His area of expertise wasn't medical. His apprentice had been right about him. "We need the Healer! Javer needs help!"

Thomas and Sophie took off running, the blonde ignoring the elder's advice and the way her head swam. They reached Miron and their friend, falling to their knees to inspect him. "What happened?" Sophie asked, breathless.

Miron opened his mouth. "H-he..." The man considered the answer for a moment. "I thought he was my friend," the man muttered, dropping to his knees where he stood behind the three friends. "I thought he wanted to help..."

"Who?" Sophie asked with a frown. "Javer?"

"N-no..." the alchemist answered. He raised a finger and pointed to the south. "Him."

Thomas blinked, confused for a second. He looked to where the man was pointing and recognized the orchard. A gear inside him whirred and made a click. The boy stood up, looking at Miron. "A demon? A demon hurt Javer?"

The man bowed his head in shame. "I only wanted to help," he said sadly. All of his morals were whirling around him like a feverish storm, and the rest of his words came out on the verge of hysteria. "I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt! I meant no harm! I only wanted to help!"

Thomas didn't turn away from the scared man, considering his words. "Did you bring him here? Did you bring him to the orchard?"

Miron shook his head vigorously. "H-he showed up. I... came across him one day, a-a-and he... convinced me that... he didn't want any trouble. That he'd help me... become rich. So that the village wouldn't depend on outside factors anymore. I told everyone to stay away from the orchard by his request. That's where he's been living so far."

Sophie got up, outraged. "You knew about a demon and you told no one? What did you think would happen, Miron???"

Thomas raised a hand to quiet her down, turning back to the man. "What did he do to Javer?"

"He tried to take over Javer's mind," Miron answered. "But I stopped him before he could do it. I hope. He's still breathing, but I want the Healer's opinion on the matter."

"You hope?" Sophie asked incredulously. She was about to start shouting hurtful truths when Thomas stopped her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Please go get the Healer," he asked her. The blonde opened her mouth as if to start spitting curses, but the boy shook his head, speaking with more urgency. "Please go fetch him. Javer needs help, now."

The girl looked torn between shouting at Thomas, Miron, or doing as she was asked. Then she huffed, running as fast as she could back the way she came. Thomas turned his head to look at the orchard.

Miron frowned curiously at the boy. "What do you plan on doing?"

"The village's problems began with the loss of the orchard," Thomas began. "Then the mines went out of use. The people who live here had to rely on the sale of home-grown crops and the community treasury. Now the mines are operational again. We just need to clear the orchard."

The alchemist blinked, looking from the boy to the mess of wild trees to the far south. "How do you expect to clear it?" he asked. "None of the villagers will want to go near that place, so you'll be on your own. What chance do think you have to kill a demon by yourself?"

"I've killed a demon before," Thomas muttered. "Over an over, for many lifetimes." His hand curled into a fist, and the boy closed his eyes. Warmth emanated from his chest, flowing down his arm. It concentrated into a large pearl, like it had once, and a million times before. It morphed, taking the shape desired before losing its warmth and becoming solid.

The boy opened his eyes, taking in the scenery, fully aware that it could be the last time he'd see it. Clutched in his hand, much to Miron's surprise, was a golden longsword. Thomas heaved a sigh and began the long walk to the orchard, ready to face the demon that lurked in its green depths. He was doing the right thing. And he knew _she_ would agree.

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Author's Notes

But first, ThinMint's Corner!

Review for Chp 6, eh, it's fine, just glad you could make it. :) Mhm, she felt like she didn't have a choice. Well, for now, for herself, but you'll see. I have yet to mention issues like that since I've been focusing on Thomas' side-story, but thankfully he hasn't. Believe me, he wants to, but he feels like he can't just yet. Thanks for the support!

Review for Chp 7, yeah, it's not recommended for young folks to work so much for so long without breaks. D'aw, thanks for that! I've been complimented on my fight scenes a couple times before, and it really means a lot to me when it happens, cuz they're very fun to write. Pfft, whoops. :P Mhm, and you'll see how useful they can be. Heh, I'm glad you're liking the story so far!

Review for Chp 8, mhm, there's usually a reason behind names. Well, like I mentioned, a bit redundant, but it has a scene I really liked, which sadly had to be removed. However, I do plan on including a scene like it in a future proyect. I'll mention it when the scene finally rolls around. Heh.

My iPad's about to die, and I don't really have many comments left to... comment. I really liked this chapter, and am proud of how it turned out.

My thing's gonna die soon, thankyousomuchforyourtimeandsupporthaveanamazingday

~ LeMafiaKreb


	11. The Orchard

Author's Notes

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, you-guys'll-see-this-late-but-still, happy birthday to me!

Ahem, now, onto more serious matters. This was a very productive week, because I managed to write out _two and a half _chapters! That's a new record for me, and something I'm quite proud of. I'm slowly but surely paying back the 20k-word debt I owe to myself. :D

Anywho, Reviews!

ScarOfHerobrine, heh, yeah. It'll take a while, but I'll let you know when I'm done. Pfft. :P I ask myself that sometimes too. Heh. Well, they're kinda busy with their own jobs and stuff, but I guess they'd go help anyway. Heh, I love your reviews. They're always so... energetic and oftentimes aggressive. :D

ThinMint, mhm, can't leave your reviews unanswered. Of course! Yay! Well, really it's just Javer. The other villagers, other than Sophie, never said a single curse word. It's mostly them two. Heh, I'm sure she'll be glad for the tip! Yeah, but the demon is a tricky fellow. You'll just have to see.thanks for the support! I'm on time too!

sOL-'-aLOne, pfft, heh, it happens sometimes. Thanks! Heh, uh, Mmmmmmmmmm... Thanks for the support!

Alright, now, let's get on with the story!

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3rd Person POV

Thomas stopped at the edge of the orchard, staring defiantly ahead. He could only see a few meters into the mess of overgrown flora before the shadows consumed all color. The boy gripped his longsword harder and went in. There were no animals inside, no living things making a sound. Only the faint rustling of leaves and soft whistling of wind broke the silence. The sky had darkened as the boy walked, now covered by grey clouds. The orchard was as quiet as a graveyard.

His steps barely made a sound as the boy tread over the leaves and vines lining the forest floor. Thomas kept an eye out, tense and at the ready. He walked up to the center, breaking through a tall rosebush and ending at a clearing shielded from the elements by the thick canopy of the oaks. It was surprisingly clean, with few signs of overgrowth, and nice lively grass blanketting the otherwise coarse earth that made up the unkempt soil of the orchard.

"Hello, spirit," a voice called from the opposite side of the clearing. It was filled with menace and poison. "What brings you to my humble domain?"

"Show yourself, demon," Thomas called. He was holding on to his swords hilt so tightly his knuckles turned white. "And tell me your name."

"What are you hoping to achieve, spirit?" the voice asked, seeming getting closer with every word. "To banish me? By yourself?" it taunted.

"These woods do not belong to you," Thomas said firmly. "I will fight for the village, for my family, if necessary, but it doesn't have to be that way. Tell me your name, and leave in peace. So nobody gets hurt."

The voice cackled, and a shape broke through the tree line. The demon's smile rivaled that of a frenzied shark, its emerald eyes glittering in amusement. "These woods _do_ belong to me now, spirit. A diplomatic approach will get you nowhere if you wish to send me away."

"Tell me your name, and leave in peace," Thomas repeated.

The demon stared at Thomas for a while. "What is it you want, spirit? These?" The unholy spawn turned away and moved a large clump of moss with one foot. Hidden beneath it was a sack containing a glittering mound of gold, shaped into various items.

The boy's eyes widened. "_You_ took everyone's things."

"I did," the unholy spawn answered proudly. "In one day. Leave my forest now and take these trinkets with you. But don't dare come here again."

Thomas narrowed his eyes. "I will take the village's gold back. But I cannot leave until you have. Now tell me your name."

The demon huffed, throwing the blanket of moss back over his haul. "You want my name, spirit?"

A large dagger came to be in the being's hand, and then it rushed forward. Thomas barely had time to raise his sword, keeping the weapon's blade an inch from his face. The demon's smile widened. "I am Greed."

The demon pushed Thomas forward, their weapons screeching and throwing sparks. The boy managed to block another attack and then swung. The unholy spawn sidestepped, throwing the dagger his way and creating two others. Thomas ducked in time and managed to jump back before a swipe made him blind. The boy swung upwards, his attack being blocked by the demon almost effortlessly. It rushed forward again, cutting and stabbing at the boy ferociously.

Thomas was pushed back, blocking as many blows as he could with his blade. One of his opponent's daggers tried to dig into his side, leaving a shallow gash. The boy flinched, and decided to change his strategy. Instead of waiting to block the next attack, Thomas shoved the demon back with his shoulder. Greed stumbled, caught by surprise for a moment. A golden blade was swung in his direction, nicking the being's chin.

Greed suppressed a pained shout. The tiny wound burned like fire. His daggers became shortswords, and the demon locked blades with Thomas again. The boy released a grunt, his tired limbs bending under the strength of his opponent. The demon's wicked smile returned. "Was this your plan, spirit? To fight me, and hopefully send me away? I've slain zombies stronger than you!"

Thomas glared, pushing against the demon as hard as he could. And yet, he was the one being held down. The boy closed his eyes, tired beyond belief. He fell to one knee under the unholy being's weaponry. The demon's smile widened into a crazed smirk. "Tell me your name, spirit," It taunted. "I'll be able to tell your friends how you died as their screams fill the air!"

His limbs trembled and burned. His mind felt foggy. His eyelids seemed heavier than stone. The boy forced them open, looking not at the demon, but past him. There was a tiny hole poked through the canopy, a ray of sunshine peeking through. The boy stared at it, wondering if it would be the last time he'd see the sun. If that had been the last time he saw Javer, saw Sophie... saw _her_.

The boy took a deep breath and pushed with all his might, shoving the demon off. He wouldn't give up. He made a promise, and he wasn't about to die again before seeing _her_ one more time. Thomas swung his shortsword, its edge leaving a small cut on the demon's arm despite its best attempts to block the attack. Greed dashed forward again with a shout, swinging relentlessly at the boy.

Thomas blocked its attacks and locked swords with the demon again. "My name is Thomas," he told it through gritted teeth, throwing out a kick and knocking the being onto its back.

Greed huffed, getting up. His maniacle smirk vanished, replaced with a hate-filled glare. Its shortswords broke down into dust clouds and changed back to large daggers, which the demon spun twice before rushing at Thomas again. The boy sidestepped and swung, leaving a shallow gash in the being's side. The unholy spawn let out a grunt, whirling around and swiping at the boy. One of its daggers left a cut on Thomas' cheek, which he ignored.

They continued to exchange swipes, very few connecting while some managed to leave shadow cuts all over them. Sweat formed on his forehead, leaving small trails as it fell. Greed fought back ferociously, pushing Thomas back little by little until the boy managed to swing his longsword, leaving a cut on the demon's stomach. The unholy spawn growled and rushed again, locking blades with the boy.

He shoved Greed back and swung twice, sending one of the demon's daggers flying out of his hand and onto the grass, desintegrating harmlessly. Thomas blocked an angry swipe from the demon and swung his longsword again. The blade left a nasty gash on the being's chest, which made it shout in pain and drop to one knee. The boy raised his sword above Greed's head, breathing heavily.

"Leave. Now," he ordered.

The demon glared up at the boy. "Never."

It tried to slice Thomas' neck with an upwards swipe—which the boy narrowly avoided—and jumped back, summoning another dagger in its free hand. The demon rushed forward again, throwing a weapon and stabbing forward with the other. Thomas ducked, avoiding the first dagger, and raised his sword to block the second. He sidestepped and swung counter-clockwise, surprising the demon. His golden sword dug into Greed's arm, and the being cried out.

Thomas yanked his weapon free and stabbed forward, his blade piercing unholy skin and reaching the demon's left shoulder. Greed summoned a shortsword in his right hand and tried to cut off the boy's forearm, but Thomas managed to stop his opponent with a kick . Greed stumbled backward, landing painfully on a knotty tree's roots. The demon grimaced in pain, trying unsuccessfully to get up. His wounds burned with heat incomparable to any other, and not just his vessel: they seemed to reach his very being, his corrupt soul.

Thomas raised his sword again, pointing it at Greed. "I'm only going to ask you once more. Leave now, or I will be forced to end you."

The demon opened his eyes and glared at Thomas. "Well done, spirit. You win."

Greed got up on wobbly legs, trying to push past white-hot pain that seeped into his muscles. The unholy spawn stared at Thomas through narrowed eyes for a moment. "Tell me, spirit, are you an _angel_?" it asked, practically spitting the word. "A demon? You are certainly unique. I have never seen another like you."

The boy only stared back defiantly, unwavering, not daring to move his sword away or let his guard down. Greed's eyes widened, seemingly in understanding. A smile crawled its way back to the demon's face. "No, I know what you are," it almost growled. "I have seen your element before. An ancient thing I thought was lost heavenward... farewell, sunborn."

Jade smoke shrouded the demon, his eyes still visible through the swirling cloud. "We are sure to meet again." Then its eyes vanished, and the demon rose into the air, drifting away through the canopy of branches.

Thomas watched as Greed flew off, dropping his sword and falling to his knees in exhaustion. The golden weapon seemed to melt into the grass once it left the boy's hand. He took many deep breaths and closed his eyes, thanking every deity he knew of for giving him enough strength to pull through. Admittedly, the list wasn't long, but he thanked them anyway. The boy heaved a couple of sighs, getting up shakily and looking up at the canopy of trees.

A pinprick of light still pushed through the mess of leaves, not enough to brighten the gloom of the clearing, but definitely there. Thomas reached upward, pretending to caress the light and not caring how silly he might look. He could almost feel its warmth brushing the tips of his fingers. The boy blinked, turning back the way he came. The orchard was so overgrown that he couldn't even see the end of it from the clearing, despite the trees having grown in near-perfect rows.

Thomas sighed, beginning the walk back to the village. The orchard was clean now—the villagers could harvest wood and fruit now, wether to sell or to use was up to them. The mines were clear, so they could gather precious materials for trading or building. The boy suddenly remembered something important, turning around and walking the few steps back to the clearing.

He crouched down in front of the tree caked in moss, removing the blanket of green and pulling the heavy sack of gold out of its hiding place. He threw it over his shoulder and turned around once again, resuming his trip. The village had the orchard, the mines, had gotten its gold back: what more could they need? What more could he offer? What was keeping him here now? Nothing. The chains that had anchored him to what was once his home shattered.

The village would heal in time. It no longer needed his help, he was free to roam now. Free to look for _her_. Would she still be at Veridon? Maybe she went back to the valley. There was so much that could've changed... did she still miss him? Was he too late? Had she moved on while he helped the village recuperate?

Thomas shook his head, opting to not think anymore. It was giving him a headache. The boy wandered through the woods, finally settling his thoughts and focusing on a single one. He was going to find her, to see her again. That was all he cared about. That, and not crashing the Dragoon on the way to Veridon. But he really had no control over the latter, so it didn't matter too much.

Bright afternoon sunlight finally managed to pierce the canopy of the orchard as he neared its edge. The boy used a hand to shield his eyes, staring out at the village before him. It looked peaceful from over here, as it had from the small hill where the Healer's home sat and from far above in the airship. He would miss this place, no doubt: it had been his home for much longer than he could remember having one. The boy had spent years living with Javer and Sophie, growing up with the sun in his eyes every morning and helping around to entertain himself.

Thomas smiled and readjusted the back swung over his shoulder, walking into the village and heading for the Healer's house.

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Thomas' POV

I knocked on the Healer's door twice before gently pushing it open and peeking in. There was no one in the small waiting area nor in the elder's room. I unslung the heavy burlap sack off my shoulders and dropped it on the floorboards. The curtain to the guest room was pulled open, and Sophie poked out. The blonde gave me a big smile, running over to hug me. "Thank the stars you're okay!" she whispered, tightening her embrace.

I hugged her back a little, pain coming from every wound in my body as she squeezed. I didn't mention it though. "Yeah, I'm alright."

The blonde pulled away, shoving me back. Her relieved smile turned into a tearful glare. "Why did you just go after the demon by yourself? You could've died! And we would never even know!"

I rubbed at my chest where her small hands had pushed me. "I didn't die, I'm fine."

"It could've killed you!" Sophie pointed out, now hugging herself.

I heaved a sigh. "Sorry," I muttered. "But at least now the orchard is safe."

Sophie wiped her tears of her face, swallowing a little. "Did you kill it?"

I shook my head. "No. But I made sure it left, and I know it won't come back."

"How can you be sure?" she asked worriedly.

I pursed my lips, thinking about my answer. I shrugged, walking up to her and hiving her a hug. "I just am. Don't worry, you guys will be safe."

The blonde sighed, hugging me back with half-lidded blue eyes. She blinked them and pulled away after a moment. "'You guys?'"

The curtain was moved apart once again, and the Healer presented himself. The elder closed his eyes and whispered something to the roof when he saw me, looking back down with a smile. "I'm glad to see you once again, my boy," he said with a nod.

I smiled at the old man. "I'm glad to have made it back."

"Not unharmed, it seems," the Healer said, looking me over. "Come inside so I may treat your wounds. I want to make sure that demon left nothing harmful on them."

Sophie wiggled out of my grasp, glancing at me over her shoulder as she walked through the curtain. The Healer and I followed into the guest room. Javer was lying on a bed, seemingly asleep, with a thin blanket covering him. His boots, trenchcoat, and an assortment of colorful vials were set on a nightstand next to the bed. Miron was there, surprisingly, sitting at a stool and staring at Javer. Sophie stood at my side, looking at our friend.

"How long has he been out?" I asked the elder.

"He woke up maybe twenty minutes ago," Sophie answered instead. "He asked the Healer and I to step out of the room so he could talk with Miron."

I frowned. "Do you know what they were talking about?" I asked in a whisper.

The blonde shrugged. "A curtain and thin walls don't really achieve privacy," she whispered back. "They argued pretty loudly, although that was mostly Javer. It was like listening in to only half a conversation."

"Then... what did they argue over?" I pressed.

"J was mad at Miron," Sophie answered quietly. "For good reason, but still. He kept hounding at the poor guy about his bad decisions. I think Miron told him about what you had left to do, cuz he kept telling him that he should've gone with, spitting curses here and there. But he eventually calmed down, and then went back to sleep."

I nodded, looking from my slumbering friend and then over to Miron. The alchemist blinked, his green gaze moving over to me. He blinked again, getting up slowly, hands hanging awkwardly at his sides. "You're back."

"Yeah, I'm back," I answered simply.

"Did you... did you kill him?" the man asked.

I shook my head. "No, but I did send him away."

Miron nodded, mostly to himself. "That's good. Thank you."

I crossed my arms, looking back down at Javer. "You should've told us sooner. J wouldn't have been hurt then."

The alchemist looked saddened by my words, but the Healer spoke before he could. "Javer is alright. There are no wounds on him, other than a couple of scrapes, and it is certain that his mind is completely free of possession if what he heard before wasn't indication enough."

I nodded, relieved on the inside. "I thought he was my friend," Miron said after a moment. "I thought he wanted to help."

A sigh escaped me. "I know. You told us."

"Why would you trust a demon?" Sophie put in, arms behind her back, aiming a half-hidden glare at the man. "Did it possess _you_?"

Miron clasped his hands together, head down in shame. "He didn't possess me. And I... I don't know why I trusted him. He sounded genuine when he told me... that he wanted to help..."

I walked around Javer's bed, flinching a little on occasions when my wounds disagreed with my movements, and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "It's alright. Demons only plague the land to lie, and they're very good at it, so you shouldn't feel bad for having been tricked. At least no one got badly hurt, and you learned your lesson. Right?"

The alchemist sighed, sitting back down on his stool. "Yes," he whispered. "I learned my lesson. And I'm sorry."

I nodded, walking over to the wall and sitting down on an empty chair next to it, my sore muscles arguing against everything I did. I was so tired...

"Let me take a look at your wounds, my boy," the Healer said, coming over with his cane and lifting my shirt's right sleeve up to inspect a cut. "Miron, Sophie, could you please wait outside?"

My friend and the man nodded, walking out of the room without a word. The Healer lifted my shirt, inspecting a gash on my side carefully. The wound was still bleeding. Humming thoughtfully, the elder turned around and took a small glass bottle from a drawer. It was half-full with light-green cream. The Healer passed his finger through the substance and then applied it to my wound. It sting a bit, but the pain already coming from the gash faded substantially.

"It was very foolish of you to try and banish that demon on your own, Thomas," the Healer told me. "Sophie was worried sick when Miron told us where you'd gone. Had I not seen at least some of your abilities, I would've thought you suicidal."

I sighed, looking over at Javer. "I know. But... I've dealt with demons before. Specifically one, over and over, but still. If I could take down Darkness for lifetime after lifetime, then how hard would it be to clear the orchard?"

"Did you not die every time you faced that demon?" the Healer asked almost absently. I knew that wasn't the case—he very much cared about my answer—but for some reason made it seem unimportant.

"Yeah," I muttered, turning away from J and staring at nothing. "But Greed isn't Darkness, so I thought it would've been easier to deal with him. It seems I underestimated him, though," I said, gesturing at my cuts.

The elder hummed again. "You did, and that mistake could've cost you your life. Please, my boy, do try to refrain from making rash and reckless decisions in the future."

I fought back a smirk. "Those are the only kinds of decisions I know to take."

The Healer chuckled, capping his bottle of cream and turning back to the drawer, fishing out some bandages. "I suppose so. Then at least consider the weight of your actions before diving head-first into the abyss, child."

"I will Healer," I answered as he wrapped dressings around my injuries. "Starting tomorrow."

The elder shook his head, quickly finishing his work and putting the roll of bandages away. A groan pulled my attention to Javer. My friend sat up slowly, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He blinked at me a couple of times, and then his eyes widened in recognition. "Tom. You made it back."

I smiled at him. "Yeah, I kicked the demon out of the orchard. He put up quite a fight, but I managed."

Javer huffed, sitting up more comfortably. "Definitely looks like it. Why in heaven's name did you think that was a good idea?"

I rolled my eyes. "Why does everyone have to hound at me for dealing with the issue?"

"Cuz it was a stupid way to deal with the issue!" the alchemist-in-training shot back.

Sophie peeked her head in, walking over and hugging Javer. "You're awake again!"

My friend looked sort of uncomfortable in her embrace. He always looked like a fish out of water when recieving hugs. "Yeah, I'm awake. But not for long if you continue to cut out my air supply," he added.

The blonde clicked her tongue, letting go and crossing her arms. "I wasn't even squeezing that hard."

"You're stronger than you think," Javer said with a shrug.

I chuckled, getting up and walking across the room to get to them. "Are you feeling better after your nap, J?"

The alchemist-in-training nodded. "A nap was all I needed."

I stopped at his bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Good. You made a promise to me, which I'm about to make you regret."

Javer frowned at me, thinking for a moment before recognition dawned on his face. "Ah, fuck."

"Please refrain from swearing while under my roof," the Healer said with a smile.

"What promise?" Sophie asked evenly.

I opened my mouth to try and explain, but no sound came out. I hadn't thought about how I'd tell her, or how she would take the news. "Uh... I..."

The elder walked up to us. "Thomas knows that this is his home. It was before, is again now, and will be for the rest of all his lifetimes. But sometimes, home is not exactly where you wish to be."

The blonde blinked, digesting his words, and turning her head to look me in the eye. "He wants to explore the world," the Healer continued. "Specifically, one of the mob cities to the north. This decision was very hard for him to take, and he wouldn't be doing it if he didn't feel like we no longer needed his help."

"But we do need his help,"Sophie muttered, the corners of her lips turning down in a frown. "I... I lost a brother last year, only to get him back less than a week ago, just for him to tell me that he's leaving again and taking the other nitwit with him."

I sighed, wrapping my arms around her. "I'm sorry. I just... there's something I want to do. Someone I want to see. But I'll come back, I promise you. We both will."

"I'm not making any promises this time," Javer muttered, lying back down. "I'm not treated well enough here. Maybe I'll find myself a nicer group of friends to hang around with that don't take joy in insulting me."

The blonde let out a shuddery breath, returning my embrace. "I hate you both..." she muttered, pressing her head against my chest.

"This will always be his home," the Healer said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "A wave will come and go, but it always returns to shore."

Sophie sighed, pulling away from me. Her blue eyes were red, tears forming within them. "Stay for today. You both need rest." She rubbed tears off her face, taking a step back to look at me and Javer. "You owe me big time," she muttered, punching my arm and proceeding to give J a quick hug before hitting him too.

I rubbed at my arm, thankfully that she wasn't too angry at us. "We'll go tomorrow, then. J, are you going to sleep here or are you going back to your house?"

The alchemist-in-training humme, sitting up and swinging his legs out to the bed's edge. My friend blinked, holding his head and retreating to his spot on the mattress. "I don't think I'll be able to walk all the way over there..." he mumbled, laying back down. "You're gonna sleep alone tonight. You have the keys to the house, right?"

"Your house doesn't have locks," I reminded him.

"Then you should have no problem getting in," Javer said, closing his eyes and getting comfortable.

I rolled my eyes, squeezing Sophie's shoulders and walking up to the Healer. "The demon was the one who took everyone's things. I got them back when he left, it's all in a bag out here."

The Healer smiled, nodding at me. "I will ensure it all goes back to their rightful owners. We owe you and your friends plenty for all your help."

I gave him a small smile which vanished when I caught sight of Sophie. She looked glum, sitting on a stool and staring at nothing. "Come with us," I begged, walking over to her.

The blonde blinked and slowly turned her head to me. "I can't just leave my home," she whispered. "I can't leave my family."

I heaved a sigh and nodded, giving her another hug. "It was worth a shot," I mumbled, taking a couple steps back.

It hurt me to see her like this. Was this how she felt when I died? I heaved a sigh, wishing there was a way to make it up to her. Then I got an idea."Come with me for a moment. I'm... beyond exhausted, but I do want to show you something."

Sophie raised an eyebrow, getting up. "Okay."

I gave the Healer a small bow and gave Miron a nod before ducking through the curtain. I led Sophie out of the house and on a walk through the village. It took a little while, but we eventually reached what I was looking for. The Dragoon looked... well, not great. It was missing a lot of paint, its tough wooden hull scratched and even splintered in some cases. Its main propeller spun lazily, pumping enough air into the ship's balloon for it to stay upright but not lift off. I had to improvise since there was nowhere to properly park it. Thankfully, the redstone systems didn't short out or something.

My friend stared at the craft, looking impressed despite the poker face she gave me. "I never got to ask you about this. What is it?"

I heaved a sigh, memories flooding me. "It's an airship. I helped some friends build it, more for fun than necessity to be honest. It works with redstone, and lots of complicated machinery, which I don't really understand."

Sophie hummed, walking up to the Dragoon and passing a hand over its hull. "It was amazing to see from down here when you got back. It almost seemed unreal, a miracle. I never thought I'd get to see a boat fly."

I smiled and took her hand, walking over to the rope ladder. "Come on. It looks great from the ground, but you've gotta see everything else from the sky."

She blinked, surprised and a little worried as I began to climb the ladder. The blonde sighed at me in a sort of tired, disapproving manner before following up. I lent her a hand as she reached the top, walking over to the wheel. Sophie started walking around, looking at the big propeller's engine and the many ropes that anchored the massive balloon to the ship. I pushed a lever to my right a little forward, and the blades began picking up speed.

We slowly rose into the air, much to my friend's surprise. She stumbled around a little, eventually gripping a piece of railing and watching the ground sink below us. I slowed to a hover once I believed out height to be enough, pushing the lever to my left. The engines and propellers on the back of the Dragoon started whirring, spinning faster until we began moving forward at a steady pace.

Sophie watched, excitement and fright written plainly on her face, as the land before us moved away. Awe made her blue eyes glitter like a pair of diamonds, her mouth open in a smile. I chuckled to myself, turning west towards that annoyingly thick forest and the landscape I wished to show my friend from the sky. The green mess passed by far below, giving way to lush green plains.

I shut off the rear propellers and we drifted slowly to a halt. I left the wheel and other controls, walking around them towards Sophie. The blonde had moved to the bow of the ship as we sailed across the sky, and was looking down at it all. I peeked at the wonderful colors of the sky—the sun was going down, orange and violet painting the clouds—and stood next to Sophie, admiring everything with her.

The massive expanse of blue looked bigger from the sky, reaching as far as eye could see and probably beyond. It glittered beautifully, mirroring every shade of color the sky threw at it. The cliffs and plains looked amazing, their green blades of grass waving pleasantly. The mountains stood tall and proud far away, like stone guardians watching over this magical landscape. It was peaceful, relaxing, and most of all utterly gorgeous.

I wrapped an arm around Sophie's own, giving her a squeeze. "It looks amazing from up here, doesn't it?"

The blonde sighed, resting her head against my shoulder. "Yes. It's beautiful."

We stared at the lovely painting as its colors were slowly taken away. I heaved a sigh after a minute. "I wouldn't be leaving all this if I didn't feel a need to. Please understand that I have to do this. I don't want to leave, but I have to."

Sophie closed her eyes. "I get it. But... I really want to know what's so important for you to abandon your family. Your home."

"It's..." I organized my thoughts, trying to find a way to tell her. "A matter of the heart. There's someone in Veridon I need to see."

The blonde hummed. "Is it a girl? Or boy, I guess."

I chuckled a little. "It's a girl. She's... very important to me."

My friend sighed in that weird 'oh boy' fashion, pulling away from me and crossing her arms with a smirk. "I guess it had to happen at some point that you'd leave us for a girl. Just didn't think you'd be going so far to find her."

I shrugged. "She's not just some girl. She's-"

Sophie rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "Yes, yes, smart, pretty, unique, whatever. The most important person in your life, yada yada. I... I get it. Just... come back, okay? You're still our friend, our brother, spirit or not."

I smiled, giving her a hug. "Of course. I would never dream of leaving for life."

I walked over to the stern of the ship, and Sophie followed. The blonde looked out at the majestic landscape as we turned around back the way we came. "Do I get to learn the name of the she-devil that's taking you away from us?"

A fond sigh was drawn for me, as well as a smile. "Sarah."

The propellers thrummed steadily, white noise to all the fantasies and dreams that swam in my head. My heart was racing at the thought of finally getting to see her again. A heart that beat only for _her_.

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Author's Notes

This chapter was very very fun to write, especially the fight scene and this tidbit with Tom and Sophie at the end. I'm very proud of this chapter, even if I did go over my self-imposed 5k-word limit by a couple hundred words. Oh, well.

Thank you all so much for your time and support! Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	12. Confidence

Author's Notes

Writing this one was a breeze. I enjoyed typing out every word. It took me maybe two three hours to bring it up to 2.4k words, at around 2 in the morning. The only thing that finally made me set the pad down was the fact that I could no longer see what I was typing.

I planned to add maybe three different character POVs, but in the end it took only one and a half to reach 5.2k words. Whoops.

Anywho, Reviews!

ScarOfHerobrine, heh. It'll be kind of hard to find someone like that... I'm glad you did! I thought so too. :) Well, I mean, I could get into that, but it'd take up a lot of space and this chapter is already 300 words over my limit. Mhm. Yay!

sOL-'-aLOne, Yep, finally! Mmm, you'll have to wait and see. You have to wait no longer! Oh, and regarding your review on To Kill A Modding Bug, I have wanted to continue the story, but what with being focused on schoolwork and KOS, I haven't found the time nor inspiration. But I very much intend to finish it.

Also! I have a blog on Tumblr, which I started yesterday at about ten in the afternoon. I don't really know how to use the site, but I'll learn. I've already posted some of my doodles on there, as well as a special something for ScarOfHerobrine (which I hope you'll like), and will continue to do so over time. You can find me as 'alkalinewaters-lemafiakreb', and my blog is just titled 'Doodles And Things From LMK'.

Anywho, on with the story!

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Eba's POV

Annie and I took the elevator up to the sixth floor of the apartment complex, walking over to mine after the ride was over. I opened the door for my friend and let her inside, gesturing at the apartment without flair or excitement. "This is where I live. It looks nice, but it... gets pretty lonely."

My friend looked around. "It really is nice. You're very lucky, Eba."

I hummed a little in embarrassment, closing the door behind us. "Thanks..."

Annie finished looking around and turned back to me. "Okay, I have a couple of ideas to get your confidence back. But first, I thought it'd be fun to give you a little makeover. What do you say?"

"Um..." I rubbed my right arm, frowning a little. "I... guess?"

My friend smiled. "That's the spirit. What do you have at hand? Makeup, nail polish, anything?"

"Uh... no," I muttered, bowing my head in shame. "I don't... use any of that..."

Annie walked over and gave me a small hug. "It's fine, just means we get to go shopping too. May I have a look at your closet, see what I have to work with in that aspect?"

I gave her a small nod, leading her to my bedroom. I opened the door to my walk-in closet and stood aside, hoping she wouldn't make fun of the few clothes I owned. My friend frowned at my shirts and jeans, inspecting the ones on their hangers and the ones tucked in my drawers. She gave an approving nod to the one nice thing I owned—the tunic Val and Lila had made for me in the valley—and then stepped out.

My friend let out a small sigh. "Okay, well, I hope you're funding my efforts, cuz I don't really get paid enough for what I plan to do."

"S-Sure," I mumbled, embarrassed that I didn't have any of what she needed.

Annie took one last look at my closet and then walked out. "Okay, so we're going to... I know of a good hair salon downtown, so I think we'll be going there first."

I frowned, self-consciously hiding my hair. "I-I thought you said it looked good on me..."

"No, it does," she clarified, moving my hands away from the magenta strands. "The color looks great on you. But I think what's good can be made even better. You are okay with this, aren't you?"

I swallowed, thinking her plan over. She was probably going to overhaul my entire wardrobe, and give me a makeover which she'd expect me to keep up. Was my self-confidence really worth all this? Was I okay with going through with it? I closed my eyes and cleared my head. Blight was usually the one keeping me from overthinking everything, but now I had to do it myself.

"Yes," I answered. "I'm okay with it."

Annie smiled again. "Great! Then let's go."

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We walked down the busy streets of Globe Chapel City's downtown area. The whole city was full of pretty buildings, museums and art pieces, but this place was like the center of a cultural center. There were mimes, paintings, statues, art galleries, stores of all kinds, it was a mess of color and wonder. Crowds of people walked to and fro all over the place, bumping into us every so often. There were lots of lightly-armored guards everywhere too, mixed into the throes of citizens and tourists.

Annie and I made a beeline to a small shop with tall pink letters atop it. They read 'Beauty Boutique'. It had big windows in the front, showing off beauty products and giving a view of the inside. There were maybe a dozen people there, half of them sitting on chairs while the other half, men and women, went about doing stuff to them. My friend pushed open the glass doors and led me inside.

A young woman with silver hair turned towards us with an eyebrow raised. She smiled a little when she noticed my friend, getting up from her chair and spreading her arms open. "How are you, Anne? Been a while since I've seen you."

"Hi, Cynthia," Annie answered with a smile, hugging the woman. "I hadn't had a chance to come by yet."

"Busy with work I'll bet," Cynthia said with a roll of her eyes, pulling away. Her gaze turned to me, intrigued. "Who's your friend?"

My friend gestured to me. "This is Eba."

I smiled sheepishly, stretching out a stiff hand to the woman. She smirked, taking my and and shaking it. "Hi, Eba. I'm Cynthia, lovely to meet you."

"L-likewise," I mumbled. Cynthia was wearing a leather vest with a striped black-and-grey long-sleeve shirt beneath. Her hair, not at all a sign of old age, was combed tall into a weird rebellious wave. She wore strange white glasses that had a bunch of slits in them instead of, well, glass, and a pair of black jeans that ended in knee-high boots. She also had silver earrings hanging from both sides, shaped into little shiny pearls.

Cynthia looked me up and down like I had done for her, smiling a little. She turned her head towards Annie. "So, which of you wants some work done?"

My friend nodded at me. "I'm going to help her be more confident, and I thought the best place to start would be her hair."

The woman nodded, looking me over again with a smirk. "Yeah, a little confidence and you'd be perfect."

I blinked, feeling my cheeks redden a little. Cynthia walked around me, tossing my hair around a little bit. "Shade's nice and all, but it needs some flair," she said, stopping in front of me again, arms crossed and head tilted to the side. "Maybe violet at the ends, more curvature and volume. Whaddaya think?" she asked, looking at my friend again.

Annie gave a small nod. "That would look great. And you already gave me your consent, Eba, so you can't back down."

I opened my mouth, surprised, blinking at her when no sound came out. "O-Okay..." I mumbled, hugging myself a little.

Cynthia smiled, pulling me over to a chair at the back of the store. "It'll be great, don't worry. You'll look drop-dead gorgeous when I'm done."

She sat me down, pulling an apron from the wall and throwing it on. She then brought out a black coat-thing like the ones in barber shops, putting it on me and tying the ends at my neck. Cynthia brought out a brush and spun it a little in her hand. "Let's do this."

She brushed the magenta strands, leaving them flowing straight down the back of my head. The woman then took a pair of sissors out from a drawer. "I know what Annie said, but I would never cut your hair without your consent. Don't want you thinking I'm an asshole before you get to know me. I'm going to cut it down 'till shoulder-length. Is that alright?"

I blinked at her in the large mirror set up on the wall, thinking it over. I stopped myself when worries started to crawl in and nodded. "Y-Yeah, it's okay."

Cynthia smiled, bringing the sissors up to the magenta falls and snipping away. I watched her work, long strips of color falling down and leaving me bare. It felt weird not having my hair so long anymore. I felt kinda naked. Annie walked into my field of view on the mirror, giving me a thumbs up. I smiled weakly back, turning my gaze back to my hair. It felt so weird...

The woman moved the remaining strands about, inspecting them. "Alright, I'm gonna style this to get an idea in place and when I'm done we're gonna apply some dye, yeah?"

I licked my lips, nodding again. Cynthia pulled another brush out of the cup where she kept a bunch of others, passing it through my hair. She went about doing that with a lot of the other ones she had at hand, poofing out my hair and making it wavy. I blinked, not believing what I saw as she worked. Bright magenta hair gently framed a round, pretty face with purple eyes, a face that couldn't possibly be mine. It snaked down the sides of my head, hiding my ears from view with wavy strands of color.

Cynthia bit a finger, staring at me like I was a sculpture she was carving from stone. "Not bad. I think we upped your beauty to eleven. What say you, Anne?"

My friend looked excited, smiling at me from where she was. "I think it looks awesome. You're going to dye the ends of her hair now, right?"

The woman laughed a little, taking a small bottle filled with violet liquid out of a drawer. "Definitely. Can't not add more style to her, now can I?"

Cynthia took my hair and tied it into a ponytail using a hairband on her wrist. She then put on some cloth gloves that looked to have been white at some point, now splashed with many fading colors. The woman poured a little of the dye onto her hands and rubbed them together, bringing them over to my hair. She stopped before she touched a single strand, looking up at me again.

"Seriously, you can say no to all of this if you want," she restated, waiting for my consent to apply the color.

I stared at her hands in the mirror. The violet on them did look good against my hair... "Go ahead," I mumbled, not wanting to overthink it this time.

Cynthia smiled again. "You got it."

The woman started applying color to the ends of my hair, tugging gently at them to rub it in. She very carefully and quickly added dye with expert hands, covering the magenta with the rich, dark color. It only took a minute or so for her to finish, and then she was washing the dye off her gloves in a nearby sink. Cynthia took them off, hanging them off the edge of the sink and drying her hands on her jeans.

"It'll take some time for it to dry out, but what do you think of it right now?"

I reassessed my face in the mirror, breath catching in my throat. The difference in color brought more life to my face, made my eyes stand out more. I still couldn't believe that was me I was looking at. "I... it looks great," I breathed.

Annie looked twice as excited as she had two minutes ago. "You look so good, Eba!" she said, walking up to me. "Thank you so much, Cy."

The woman shrugged smugly, sitting on the desk where she had her brushes, dyes and who knows what else. "I'm good at what I do."

"Could you apply makeup while the color dries out?" my friend asked.

Cynthia nodded. "Yep. Wanna see my arsenal?" she asked, hopping off the piece of furniture and pulling a drawer open. It was filled with lots of little metal cases, tiny brushes, and bottles, the latter containing a lot of different colors of nail polish. Annie smiled, looking over and inspecting every single one. She picked up a purple bottle of polish, looking over at me.

"Want your nails done, Eba?" she asked.

I frowned. "Mm... n-no thank you..."

Annie smiled. "That's okay."

She went back to searching the drawer, putting the bottle of polish back. Cynthia fished out one of the metal cases and a brush. She opened the case, revealing different shades of pale cream dust. "Think this would give her cheeks a little color, right?"

My friend smiled, nodding. She brought out a little tube and opened its cap, taking a tiny brush with it. "This is for eyelashes, right?"

Cynthia hummed in agreement. "And it would look perfect on her."

The both of them walked over, turning my around in my chair and getting to work. Annie had me close my eyes, carefully doing whatever it is she was doing to my lashes while Cynthia began applying makeup to my cheeks with her puffy brush. It took them maybe ten minutes that felt like an eternity, and then the woman flipped me around again so I could look myself in the mirror. They had outdone themselves again. My lashes fluttered when I blinked, and the shade of makeup Cynthia added to my cheeks made a beautiful contrast with the rest of my skin. It felt surreal, everything that was going on.

Cynthia smiled at me and then looked over at a clock hanging from the wall. "The dye should have dried now, but let's wait a moment longer, right?"

My friend and the woman talked quietly for a moment, looking over at me, nodding, and occasionally giggling. I felt weird with my hair tied up, and most of all wearing makeup. And it felt weird for Annie to be talking with Cynthia in hushed tones. Were they making fun of me? Was all of this just some sick joke, maybe? I sighed, and deeply hoped not.

The woman looked at the clock again and nodded. "Dye's dry, let's re-do this sucker."

Cynthia pulled the hairband off and released my hair, taking her brushes out again and working my hair into the same shape it had before. The woman took a good look at me when she finished and smiled smugly. "Done. Gotta say, I really am good at what I do."

I blinked at her and then looked in the mirror. I couldn't help but smile. It was like a whole different person was smiling back! It felt so weird to have my hair cut this short, to have makeup on, to feel like I actually looked beautiful. It was amazing.

Annie was smiling from ear to ear. "I can't even. Thank you so much for this," she told Cynthia.

The woman waved her away. She looked like the smuggest person alive. Was that a word? "It was very fun. I had an amazing template to work with," she said, now smiling at me.

I smiled back sheepishly. "Thanks..."

Cynthia shrugged, freeing me from the cape-thing and letting me stand up. "Don't mention it. But you do gotta pay. I have to keep this joint running somehow."

I nodded, digging around my jean's pockets and struggling to pull coins from their snug homes. "Uh... how much?"

"Seven silvers," she said with an apologetic smile. "Talent isn't cheap, after all."

Finally taking out a bunch of the metal circles, I shrugged a little and paid the woman. "That's fine. I think it's fair."

Cynthia tucked the money in her back pockets. "I'm glad you do. I take great pride in my job."

Annie gave her friend a quick hug and then took my hand, waving at Cynthia as she led us out. "Thanks so much again, Cy!"

The woman gave us a smile and waved back. "No prob! Come back around someday, yeah?"

My friend nodded, and I waved as well before I was pulled back into the crowd. Annie took us down a few more streets and then stopped at another store. This one was much bigger, two stories tall, built mostly of grey and white concrete with light-blue tinted windows that gave you little glimpses of the inside. Unglamorous black letters were set up above the front rotating door: 'The Spectrum'.

Annie brought me inside, and I was very much not prepared to see it. The boring outside did no justice to the mass of color and light that was the rest of the building. The roof extended all the way up, giving us a preview of what the second floor contained. There were shelves upon shelves of different clothes all over. That was the first thing you noticed. The next thing were the masses of people at the checkouts directly in front of you.

Everyone was carrying paper or cloth bags, which they emptied at the clerk's desks. The workers inspected the items, charged the customers, and then sent them on their way so quickly that I thought it impossible considering the amount of things everybody was buying. They all practically shoved past us and back into the cramped outer world, proudly holding their bags of cloth.

My friend pulled me out of the way, leading me towards the maze of aisles while keeping close to the wall. "This place sells the best quality clothes, and as you can see is widely popular. I thought, since we're going through with this, might as well go all the way."

I frowned, trying to catch sight of the amount of money people were taking from their pockets or bags. Alarms went off in my head when I noticed a lady take three gold coins out of her purse. "Um... Annie? I-I'm not made of money... don't you think this place is too expensive?"

"Nah, it's fine," she said with a casual wave. "I'm sure you'll be able to cover it."

A little sigh escaped me as my friend brought me deep into the colorful jungle. There were rows of pink shirts of many shapes and sizes hung up on long structures, with little tags with prices and other information on them. We walked into the bright mess and turned right, passing by a couple of lavender aisles, then magenta ones, violet, and so on before my friend stopped us at an aisle decked out completely with royal purple clothes.

"Cy and I both agree that purple and blue are definitely your colors," Annie said, immediately going over to inspect the various blouses and shirts. "Let's find one that makes you stand out most, okay?"

I frowned, looking around uneasily. "B-But... I don't really want to stand out. I-I'd rather not have a lot of people notice me."

"I'm only trying to help," my friend said, stopping what she was doing and walking back over to me. "If we're going to get you your confidence back, you need to learn that standing out is not a bad thing."

I sighed gain, hugging myself and staring at the clothes with a grimace. "Okay... I guess..."

Annie smiled, giving me a hug before going back to the clothing hanging off their hooks. "Great! Take a look around, see if you like any of these. Tell me if you don't, and we'll check another aisle."

I nodded mostly to myself, walking up to the opposite side of the aisle and staring at the various clothes. Most of the first ones were simple, plain shirts maybe with some more color in them, some plaid button-ups, v-necks, u-necks, tank-tops. Some very weird variants of them. I came across a pretty-looking long-sleeve shirt which I pulled off the pipe thing where everything was hung up for closer inspection.

Its sleeves were frilly and odd, a bit longer than they probably should be. The fabric of them was different to the rest of the shirt, but it overall felt very soft. I folded the shirt over my arm and turned to look at Annie. My friend was carrying four different shirts of varying designs, quickly passing through the others. I didn't know wether to giggle or sigh, so instead I tapped her shoulder.

"Um... maybe let's look at other things?" I asked.

Annie took a look at the shirt in my arms and smiled. "Sure, if you found a couple you like. Let's get you some sexy pants, okay?"

I blinked at her, stunned, as my friend pulled me away, practically dragging me a dozen aisles over to the navy blues. She immediately began her search again, taking a couple of shirts and jeans and adding them to her pile. I frowned, looking around again. I was starting to have second, third and fourth thoughts about all this. Suppressing another sigh, I walked over to the clothes and flipped through them slowly. A lovely little blouse caught my attention.

It was long, its back ending in a sort of penguin tail thing. The front made it look like it was designed to be tied up. The fabric of this one was also soft, silky smooth. I folded it over my arm like with the other shirt I had liked and moved on. I found a pair of navy jeans that didn't feel like jeans. They were light, and soft. Interested, I took them off their hanger and then turned around to show Annie.

My friend's pile had nearly doubled in size. She took a pair of booty shorts off their place and added them, which concerned me a little. I stopped her hand as it continued to flip through clothes. "Um... maybe not that many?"

Annie smiled. "Come on, I'm sure all of these would look great on you."

I frowned unsurely. "I... I'll try them, I guess. But we're only going to get... five."

"Five?" My friend asked. I gave her a nod. "Five tops and five pants," she offered.

"Four," I told her firmly.

My friend rolled her eyes. "Fine, four tops and four pants. Let's go see some other colors!"

Annie dragged me all over the store to see blacks, greens, reds, other shades of blue, yellows, oranges, she practically mopped the entirety of the floor with me. We picked out sneakers instead of the high-heels she chose, I had a small fight with her over not wanting to buy any of the underwear she suggested, I turned down a lot of the hats she offered and stopped her in her tracks as she neared a jewelry section on the top floor.

My friend brought me to the back of the store where a bunch of trying rooms were set up. It was like a long room that was divided into a bunch of little ones with thin walls and curtains for doors. My friend put her big pile of clothes on a chair and turned back to me. She brought so many things that I had to carry some of the ones she chose on top of the few I had liked.

"Why dont you try the ones you chose first and then we'll go through these," she suggested, sitting down next to her pile.

I looked down at the few clothes I picked out and nodded, walking into an empty trying room and closing the curtain behind me.

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"I think that looks great! Try this one."

I let out a sigh from the corner of my mouth, taking the white tank-top from my friend and walking back into the dressing room. I pulled off the green blouse I had on and slipped into the top, staring tiredly at myself in the mirror. I had lost track of how many clothes I'd put on and how long we'd been doing this for. I had given Annie almost all of the ones she showed me back, not really liking how they felt or how they looked. They were too... too showy, and flashy, not really what I liked.

I didn't like how I looked in just the tank top and my jeans. It just... I didn't like it. I was about to take it off when I caught sight of a shirt under the little bench in the dressing room. It was a purple plaid button-up. I had probably dropped it while changing at some point. I stared at it in the mirror, blinking at myself. I slipped my arms into its sleeves and pulled it on, buttoning the bottom three buttons, not taking my eyes off myself. For once, I didn't think I looked too bad.

There was still something off about the outfit though. I tousled my hair a little, which seemed to go very wellwith everything. Blushing slightly and feeling silly, I started modeling for myself. My dirty grey sneakers didn't really do it justice. I tapped my chin, thinking about what I could do. I reached a hand out of the curtain, hoping to catch Annie's attention. My friend peeked her head in, and I could see excitement lighting her features on the mirror.

"C-could you hand me the pink shoes you picked?"

I asked before she could get a word out. My friend nodded, her mouth open in a wide smile, and she retreated. Annie popped in again after a moment, dropping a pair of hot pink sneakers at my feet. She was carrying a pair of short shorts as well. "Put them on. You look so good!"

I took the shorts from her with the tips of my fingers, and she ducked away again. "Thanks..." I mumbled, dropping the shorts on the 'no' pile and taking my old shoes off. My jeans were old and a little scratched, which I only noticed now. I frowned and wiggled out of them, glaring at the shorts Annie had given me. I looked around to see if there was any alternative to those awful things, and found the weird pair of jeans I picked out earlier.

I put them up to me, not putting them on just yet and just trying to see how they'd look. Satisfied, I lifted one leg and slipped into the strange jeans. The fabric was soft even while retaining the look of traditional jeans. The hugged my legs but didn't feel tight or stiff like other ones did. I put on the pink sneakers and once again started modeling in the mirror. I didn't look too bad.

I walked out of the dressing room, hugging myself nervously. Annie looked up from the clothes she was sitting through, and her smile returned. "Wow! You look amazing!"

I stared down at myself. "D'you really think so?"

"Yes! It's great!" She rummaged through her pile and handed me a bunch more tops and shorts. "Try these on now!"

I heaved a sigh, bringing the clothes into the dressing room with me and dumping them onto the little bench.

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3rd Person POV

Monsters stood at attention inside a large cavern. It was connected to a system of smaller caves, separate from those in which the nether mobs lived. Two heavily armored wither skeletons walked past, heading down the natural corridor. They entered another cave, bowing down for a second.

"You called for us, my liege," one of them said.

A shape clad in black turned around. "I did, generals. Let me ask you, do you know what my goal was when I attacked the End realm?"

The monsters exchanged looks. "We do not, sir. It is a shame, however, that your brother managed to defeat you."

The demon laughed. "You're wrong, general. I am not yet defeated. He only delayed my plans a little." It raised a hand, letting black flames dance across it. Little by little, the fire grew, becoming a small whirlwind that encased the demon's arm.

All of a sudden, the flames blew out, revealing a black skull. It was long, mouth filled with sharp teeth, and two small triangle-shaped protrusions atop it. "I got what I wanted," the demon said with a menacing smile.

The wither skeletons took a step back each. "That's an enderdragon skull," one of them whispered in disbelief.

"Indeed, general," the demon agreed. It walked over to the back of the wall, revealing a structure previously hidden from view. The structure was 'T' shaped, built out of a dark-brown substance that seemed to hold thousands of screaming faces. The demon placed the skull in the center, not turning away.

"Tell me, generals... you are both wither skeletons, is that right?" he asked.

Both monsters nodded. "That is correct, my lord."

The demon flashed another dreadful smile. "I thought as much." He walked up to the armored skeletons, giving them a slight nod. "I appreciate all you have done for me, generals."

It summoned a longsword with its black flames. "I hereby dishonorably discharge you." With a lightning-fast swing, the demon left both monsters headless. Their bodies slumped backwards, falling unceremoniously on the rugged ground. The black demon picked up their heads as the rest of them turned to dust and vanished.

It brought both skulls over to the structure, placing them on either side of the dragon skull. They stared vacantly back for a moment. Then the soul sand which they rested upon moved. The substance covered their blackened bone, shifting into place. The black demon stood back, watching it happen.

The structure morphed, stretching out and seemingly leaning down. A rugged hand stretched from the side, trapped in soul sand. The skulls seemed to do the same, itching to be released. They changed shape, extending from the structure, as did more limbs. A tail that ended flat and sharp, a set of wings struggling to open within its unholy womb. Three more limbs, all four of them ending in large claws, presented themselves. The wronged faces trapped within the sand screamed for mercy. And then it hardened.

The creature broke free, bloodcurdling wails emmanating from its throats. Cyan eyes opened on three separate heads, instantly going to the demon. Its middle snout was longer than the other two, but other than that, they looked similar. Its scales were a glossy, deep blue, almost black, with sharp grey accents trailing from the top of its heads to the end of the spade it had for a tail.

Its claws were blue-gray, sharper than any blade, with two tallons protruding from behind. The beast shook, stretching its wings freely for the first time. A smile crawled its way onto the demon's face. It stretched a hand out to the dragon's neck, caressing it gently. The creature stared back blankly.

A blaze woman walked in, looking annoyed. "My lord, your troops won't stop-" She took a good look at the demon, then at its newly-spawned minion. Her face contorted in fear. "Wh-... what is that?" she managed after a while.

"A wither hydra," the demon whispered, turning to face the scared blaze woman. A smirk bent his lips. "Don't look so terrified, Trudy." He turned back to the dragon. "This beast is mine to command."

After a moment, the demon snapped back to Trudy. "I need more soul sand. Have my troops fetch me some."

The blaze woman nodded shakily. "Oh, there's something else that needs doing," the demon said abruptly.

"Wh-what is it?" Trudy asked.

The demon shrugged. "I need you to kidnap someone. It doesn't matter who, really." It caressed the dragon's snout. "My new pet needs to be fed."

A shiver passed down Trudy's spine. "K-... yes, my liege," she muttered. "I'll send your monsters out to fetch both requests."

"Good," the demon said with a nod.

The blaze woman left, and the demon was once again alone with his creation. The beast huffed, looking around in the cavern. It wandered around, inspecting the tough netherrack on which it was spawned. The demon leaned against the wall, watching with interest. He summoned black flames, making them dance across his palm.

_My dragon will grow. And then, brother, it will destroy everything you fought so hard to protect._

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Author's Notes

I hope I did alright with the Eba scenes. I know next to nothing about either activity when it comes to beautification processes, so let me know if I botched anything up. Still, I really did enjoy writing this chapter, and am proud of how it turned out!

And that last bit with Darkness, well, it had actually been collecting dust for two months now. But I finally deemed it time to put that scene to use.

Thank you all so much for your time and support! Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	13. Family And Friends

Author's Notes

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

I'm really, really sorry this is so late. I was busy on Friday, but then I forgot to upload it yesterday, and guuuuhhhhh

_Fuuuuuuuck_

I... sorry. I'm going to post the next chapter on Thursday this time to make up for it.

Anywho, Reviews!

ScarOfHerobrine, heh, yeah. She has to live off something. Darkness always referred to Thomas as his 'brother', despite them not being related nor even looking similar. But it would make for an interesting one-shot to explain why...

ThinMint, for your review of chp 11, it's fine, I'm glad you liked it!

And for your review on chp 12, heh, it caught Eba off-guard too. Mhm, she's shy, but she has limits. Pfft, just, 'bad Darkness'. :P I'm pretty sure you're 98% wrong, so your prayers have been answered. Mmmmmmmm sorry... Here, take my brains. Not really using them anyhow, am I? Thanks for the support!

sOL-'-aLOne, no they haven't. :I I have to stress the distance between the village and the mob city's, mostly for world-building's sake. Please refrain from jumping out window. Thanks! All demons have the capacity to... let's say hide, something, using their elements. And remember, Thomas forgets his previous lives and some of his power every time he dies. Darkness doesn't.

And now, at long last (again, sorry), let's get on with the story!

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Thomas' POV

I woke up early and, miraculously, without any aches. The sun was peeking in through the window, my potted tulip standing in its beam of light. I swung my legs off the bed's edge and stood up, stretching a little. I had the house to myself since Javer had slept in the Healer's house last night. Last night I had taken Sophie on the Dragoon to see the lovely plains to the west, and had dropped her off at her house before landing a little roughly outside. Excitement was coursing through my veins; I was finally going to see _her_ again.

There was only a few preparations to be made for the journey. It took us a week to reach the village from the valley, so I assume it would take maybe twelve, thirteen days to get to Veridon. We'd need food, which was something we forgot to bring on the way here. We had to stop once to gather as many edibles as possible before getting back on track. At least now we wouldn't have that kind of detour since I'd make sure we filled the pantry.

I had only three sets of clothes, two of which were dirty, including the one I was wearing. The Healer had gifted me pairs of pants and shirts when I arrived. They didn't really fit well, but it was better than running around using the same filthy outfit. I'd have to Was the dirty clothes before our journey. There was also packing that needed to be done, mostly on J's part since all I owned at the moment was my potted flower. The airship would hold—probably—and besides I didn't know enough about to fix anything broken, so there was nothing to be done in that aspect.

I took the time I had on hand and changed clothes, walking around to the back of my friend's house afterward. I opened up the tap on the barrel set outside, filling up a metal bucket and washing my dirty clothes with a bar of soap I found inside. When I was done wringing out the clothes, I opened the window from outside and hung them up on the windowsill where the sun hit them nicely. Then I began the long, peaceful walk over to the Healer's house.

I knocked on the door once I got there, and was greeted by the elder shortly. The Healer smiled at me. "Good morning, my boy. You're up early today."

I shrugged. "As much as I like this place, I really do want to go."

The elder nodded. "I assume you're here for Javer?"

"Yeah," I answered. "He needs to pack things up for the trip. And I need help stocking our food supplies if you can spare some."

"Of course. I'll see what I can give you." The Healer gestured for me to come inside and then walked into his room. "Wake Javer up. If you wait for him, you'll be leaving three days from now."

I chuckled, closing the door behind me and ducking past the curtain to the guest room. Javer was sleeping soundly in his bed, muttering nonsense. This was a perfect opportunity to get payback on him, but I didn't have any anvils or textbooks so anything of similar weight on hand. I briefly considered summoning a ball of gold and using that, but I was pretty sure I'd fall to the ground exhausted.

There was nothing nearby that would make the appropriate racket, and besides I don't think it'd be fair to the Healer to be messing about dropping heavy things on the floor and jumpscaring everyone. I walked over to the side of his bed and took hold of his shoulders, shaking him violently. My friend's eyes shot open, and he let out a shout as he immediately crawled away from me and fell off his bed on the other side.

I snickered, walking around the bed and staring at Javer. The alchemist-in-training looked up at me out of the corners of his eyes and groaned. He got up slowly, sitting at the edge of the bed and rubbing sleep from his eyes. "What was that for?" he asked sleepily.

"Revenge," I answered with a smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, I need help storing food in the airship and you've got to pack if there's anything you really want to bring."

Javer huffed, geting on his feet and stretching. "Alright, fine. Let's go do some early morning work."

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My friend struggled to pull a suitcase up the rope ladder, almost slipping right off on more than one occasion. He had packed textbooks, materials, glassware, clothes, 'private stores of food', had tried to bring up a _cauldron_—thankfully without success—and had managed somehow to drag a brewing stand onboard. I had been busy stocking the pantry with fruits, bread, some meat, vegetables, and lots of bottles of water. I had also thought it a good idea to bring a mop and broom aboard, just in case.

Javer's head poked over the side of the ship's hull, and was then followed by a heavy-looking brown suitcase that thumped onto the deck. My friend clambered on and flopped onto his back, heaving a couple of deep breaths. I threw the sack of potatoes I had off my shoulder and left it outside of the staircase leading belowdecks, walking over to him and leaning in close.

"You alright, J?" I asked with a bemused smile.

The alchemist-in-training gave me a thumbs-up. "Yep... I'm good..."

I shook my head and stood up, picking the bag back up and carefully storing it downstairs. A small group of people had gathered around the airship to see us off; the Healer, Miron, old man Stockton, Burnham, Harris, Nadir... but Sophie and her folks were nowhere to be found. I frowned, scanning our surroundings with my gaze. There was no trace of blond hair of blue eyes. I suppressed a sigh and climbed down the rope ladder to say farewell.

The Healer smiled at me, extending one hand. "We all look forward to seeing you back, my boy," he told me. "Thank you for all your help. I pray to the stars that you find what you're looking for, whom you're looking for."

I took his hand and shook it, giving the elder a quick hug. "Thank you, Healer. I look forward to coming back."

The elder nodded and stepped back. His brother walked up to me. Stockton looked healthier than before, but the shade and gauntness of his skin was alarming. The man shook my hand like the Healer had before. "You have saved my life twice now, and I will forever be grateful. Go explore the world, meet new people, make new friends. I can't promise that I'll be here when you return, but you know that my library with forever be open to you."

Tears welled up in my eyes at the thought of Stockton dying while I was gone. I gave the elder a nod and a hug. "Thank you for the stories, Stocks. Thank you for everything."

Javer began the climb down the rope ladder as I pulled away from my friend. Miron walked up to him from the back of the group, hands fidgeting nervously. I watched silently as the man approached Javer. The boy blinked at him, a neutral expression on his face.

"Javer, I..." the man began. "I wanted to apologize. You were right about me. All I really wanted was for everyone to respect and believe in me. I truly did not mean for anyone to get hurt."

My friend blinked slowly before nodding. "I forgive you Miron."

His mentor looked a bit confused, as if his response wasn't exactly what he expected. He looked relieved, and disappointed, at the same time. "There was one thing I wanted to ask from you. I don't expect you to trust me, but...

"You told me that you hadn't tested the compound detailed in the book," he muttered. "I don't know if you still want to continue your apprenticeship under my watch, but as I am the only trained alchemist around... perhaps we could conduct experiments on it together."

Javer stared at Miron for a long time. Then he slipped one hand inside of his coat and brought out a faded white-and-gold book. He presented it to Miron with a tiny smile. "Start without me, teach. I'll be back, at some point."

The alchemist's face was like that of a little kid that was given the biggest popsicle of his life. The glow faded from his eyes with uncertainty, and he tucked the book away, smiling at Javer. The smile was crooked, and bore mixed feelings of all kinds. "I can wait. I will use the time you spend away to improve my expertise in the medical side of things, so I can truly help people. But this is a job we must do together."

My friend nodded, and extended a hand out to his teacher. "I wish you good luck, then."

Miron's smile became one of genuine happiness, and the man shook Javer's hand. "As do I."

Javer and I went around saying farewell to everyone else that had made it. Sophie still didn't come. The sun had finally pulled itself out of the earth completely, and was lazily climbing a brightening sky. The alchemist-in-training took hold of the rope ladder and started climbing. I noticed a familiar head moving through the crowd and tugged at his trench coat to stop him. Sophie walked around the Healer, and stopped a short distance away from us. Her right hand was hidden behind her back.

"Sorry I'm late," she mumbled, rubbing her right arm. "I had something to do."

I mailed at the blonde and walked over, enveloping her in a tight hug. My friend sighed, returning the embrace with one arm. "It's fine," I told her softly. "I'm just glad you got here in time to see us off."

Javer hopped off the ladder and came over, hugging the both of us to the best of his abilities. "We'll be back after Tom finds some old friends of his. Or possibly after killing a demon, whichever comes first."

The blonde smiled, a tiny sob escaping her. She took a deep breath and wiggled out of our grasp, revealign what she was hiding behind her back. It was a lovely pencil sketch of three people, two boys and a girl holding hands, standing near the edge of a cliff overlooking a massive glittering ocean. Sophie had carefully removed the page from whichever notebook she'd drawn it in and framed it.

"I woke up early today," she murmured, smiling sadly at us, "with this image in mind. And I just... couldn't not draw it."

Surprised, I took the framed sketch from her and admired it closely. The boy on the right had messy hair and a familiar coat, while the boy on the left held a grey tulip in hand. The sun was rising in the picture, casting shadows on the children at the cliff. Javer slowly took the picture from me, staring at it in wonder.

"I forgot you drew things," he muttered, looking up at our friend.

Sophie shrugged. "I hadn't recently. But this time was special. I wanted to give you something to remember me by, in case you took longer than expected to come back."

I pulled the blonde into another hug. "Thank you. But there is no way in heaven or hell that we would forget you. Any of you."

My friend squeezed me tightly before pulling back. Tears had formed in her eyes, and were trailing down her cheeks. She walked over to hug Javer quickly before returning to the crowd. The blonde smiled at us from next to the Healer. "Go find your little girlfriend," she teased, crossing her arms.

I smiled back. "I'll bring her back you you two can meet."

Sophie shrugged dramatically. "Don't think that would be very healthy for her."

I rolled my eyes and took hold of the rope ladder, making sure to not drop Sophie's picture as I climbed up. Javer was right behind me, and I helped him up as the alchemist-in-training reached the top. We waved down at our friends and family. Then I walked to the back of the airship and took control of the wheel. The main engine's steady 'whup-whup-whup'ing turned into loud thrumming, and we slowly drifted into the air.

Javer was still waving down at everyone, leaning over a railing. I lowered the propeller's speed to a hover and walked to the side of the ship myself. Everyone was cheering and waving from below, the ones most noticeable being Stockton, the Healer, and Sophie. I waved at my friends, and returned to the wheel. I turned on the rear engines and began turning the ship. The sun bore down on us with warmth and gentle light as we sailed away from the village.

I let go of the wheel and leaned against a free slab of wood on the control board with my arms, heaving a sigh. It was happening. I was finally going to see her again. And I just couldn't wait.

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Simon's POV

I flipped through sketches in my folder, trying to see if I could find one worth revamping. We had finished building and testing the first prototype of Proyect Javelin, and it was, of course, a smashing success. Quite literally. The janitors were still working on patching up the testing area's furthest wall. But now that testing was done and construction was due to begin in a couple of months, Andrews had tasked us with developing something else.

Most—nay, all—of my designs were good, but we were only allowed to work on one at a time, so I'd have to choose carefully from the pile. Monster-proof glass, better cannon and gatling-bow designs, more crossbows, lots and lots more airship designs, redstone power generators, armor designs, and a lot of other stuff I wanted to bring to life. I groaned and placed my chin in the crook of my arm. I missed being able to start as many projects as possible, even if I rarely finished any.

The door of our RD room was pushed open. I absently noticed Tim walking inside out of the corners of my eyes. The young man walked over and sat next to me at the table, staring at my designs curiously. "Have we decided which one we're doing now?" he asked, picking up my folder.

"Jones and Carla haven't even shown up," I muttered, closing my eyes. "And I haven't been able to choose. So no."

Tim hummed, flipping through the pages. "Why don't we do this?" he asked.

I looked up and turned my head to see what he was talking about. It was a list of power conductivity with a couple of doodles titled 'super-conductive alloy?'. I frowned, taking the sheet from him. "We could. It's kind of simple, but I guess it's better than being idle and possibly fired."

The young man nodded. "Plus I think it would be useful for engineering better redstone circuits."

I closed my folder and moved it aside, reading the notes on the sheet of paper. "Let's see if we can't melt redstone first. If that's possible, then forging a conductive alloy should be easy."

Tim hummed. "I'll go ask for half a cubic meter of it. That should be enough for testing purposes, right?"

"More than," I answered. "I'll go start up the smelting furnace."

The young man gave me a nod before leaving the room. I went to pick up my folder to put it away when a scrap of paper caught my eye. It was peeking out between the many other sheets. I opened the folder and brought out the piece of paper. What caught my eye was a part of a small doodle on the back. I flipped it around, smiling a little.

'I left early today because Snowdrift wouldn't stop bothering us. I'm taking him out on a walk, so don't worry about me being gone. Love you!'. It was written in Z's hand. I sort of remembered that day when I woke up to find the other side of the bed empty. I turned the note around again and stadnat the doodle. It was a rough design for an airship engine. Judging from the cleanliness of the doodle, I had probably made this late at night.

There were notes pointing at the drawing, things I had most likely written them the day after while still sleepy. 'Prop blades too hevy', 'probally inefficient', 'very long spin-up tiem'. But what interested me was how I'd made the doodle. It looked like I had tried to draw a hull beneath the engine design but had given up halfway through, leaving just a curved line linked to the rest of the doodle with more lines. Something about it made gears in my head spin.

I began patting myself down, going 'ah-hah' when I found a blunt pencil in one of my jacket's pockets. I pulled a clean sheet from my folder and sat down again, tracing lines over and over. I head the door wing pushed pen again, and turned to see Tim standing there with a metal box in hand.

The young man frowned at me. "I thought you were going to start the smelter."

I hummed, placing the new unfinished sketch into my folder. "Sorry, got carried away with something. Let's go run some tests."

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Tim bid me farewell and then walked off. We had tried time and time again, unsuccessfully, to smelt redstone. The furnace available to us was one of the most powerful out there, and it it couldn't melt crimson dust, then we'd have to find something else to make the alloy with. We tried mixing the redstone with something that does melt—the first tests were made with iron and gold shavings—but nothing we tried had worked.

We called it a day when the clock hit 10pm. I slipped into my jacket and picked up my folder, turning off the lights behind me as I left the room. Andrews just happened to pass by, heading for the elevator out and pressing the call button. Knowing Tim had just hopped on and it would take a while for the elevator to come back, I took the opportunity to calmly walk up to my boss. I stood quietly next to him for a moment.

"Sir?" I asked. "I wanted to ask something of you."

Andrews turned his head my way, struggling to hide distaste. "What is it?"

"I would like, if it were at all a possibility, to be given permission to take Tuesdays and Fridays off."

My boss hummed. "You now full well that the company gives you a specific number of days off a year, excluding holidays. Spending them all and then taking more can be reason for discharge."

I didn't turn away despite my disappointment to show I was dead serious on the matter. The man shrugged suddenly. "I will allow it. You know we pay you by the hour, and it is your loss if you decide to not come Tuesdays and Fridays."

The elevator's lightbulb turned on, and a little chime rang out. The doors opened, and my boss walked in. I, along with a couple other workers, stepped inside and rode the contraption all the way up. I hurried home, jumping aboard the railway and practically sprinting through the forest once I had left the outskirts of Globe Chapel City. There were no lights on in the house when I emerged from the tree line. Slowing down to catch my breath, I walked over to the front door and fiddled with my keys.

I stepped inside and hung my jacket on the hanger, closing and locking the door afterwards. Moonlight was the only thing that kept me from bumping into everything and stubbing my toes. I went up the stairs, avoiding that one creaky step, and walked down the hallway for the second floor. I peeked into Ara and Flicker's room, opening the door a crack. My creeper friend turned her head slowly from the window, blinking at me. Flick was sound asleep beside her.

I smiled at her and waved before quietly shutting the door. I walked on and stepped into my room silently. Izabell was on the bed with her back to me, half a blanket covering the bottom half of her legs and the rest lying sprawled on the floor. I smiled, kicking off my shoes and picking up the blanket. Z stirred as I climbed into bed behind her, looking over her shoulder with sleepy eyes.

I placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it with my thumb, pulling the blanket over us and settling in behind the slime girl. I pulled her close to me and wrapped a jean-clad leg over her hips, resting my chin in the crook of her neck. Izabell hummed and closed her eyes, wiggling a bit and getting comfortable. "Ure late..." she mumbled sleepily.

I kissed her cheek softly. "Sorry, got carried away with experiments." The slime girl hummed again. "Hey... guess what?" I whispered.

Z turned her head a little. "Mat?"

I leant over so I could reach and kiss the corner of her lips. "Andrews agreed to let me skip work Tuesdays and Fridays."

Izabell hummed again, taking hold of my hand I had draped over her waist and rubbing it with her thumb. "Ss great, Simmn."

"And guess what day it is tomorrow?" I asked softly, unwrapping my hand from hers and tilting her head so I could kiss her with ease.

The slime girl returned the kiss sleepily. "At day?"

I wrapped my arm around her again and kissed her neck. Z wriggled a bit, humming in protest. "It's Tuesday."

Izabell opened her right eye a crack, peeking at me before closing it and settling into place. "Good... mmbe take me out sumwhere," she mumbled.

I smiled kissing her cheek and letting my head hit the pillow. "I will."

The slime girl sighed in contempt, her breathing quickly easing into a sleepy rhythm. I couldn't help but smile as sleep drew me in. An entire day! Just me, my lovely girlfriend, and endless possibilities...

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Eba's POV

Annie was pleased with the bag of clothing we left the store with despite pretty much all of her offerings being turned down. I ended up taking the white top and plaid button-up, the soft frilly-sleeve shirt I had liked, the weird blue penguin-tail blouse, and a pretty yellow dress. I also bought three pairs of new jeans in varying colors, black sweatpants, and a skirt that reached down to my knees. And I got the pink sneakers and some new black ones, as well as a teal pair. Annie tried very hard to get me to buy high-heels, but I just didn't like them. On top of all that, I just couldn't resist the light-grey hoodie with a picture of a cute pink baby dragon on it. In total, the whole trip had basically cost me three fourths of my savings, which was actually quite a lot since all I truly spent money on was food.

My friend was smiling widely as we left the store. "This was so much fun. Tomorrow, we're going to go to the park and prance around like we own the place."

I frowned at her. "Um... why?"

Annie shrugged. "If you want to feel confident first you have to act like you do. I think it's a perfect start." I hummed, not really sure about her plan.

"But," she continued, "that's tomorrow. What do you say we go have dinner?" she asked, beginning to lead me through the endless crowd of people again.

I stood still and pulled her back. "M-maybe we could... eat at my apartment? I-I have food there, and... well, I'm kind of low on funds..."

Annie made like she had been punched in the head, which surprised and worried me a little. "Right, sorry. I didn't mean to make you spend so much today," she said, now frowning at the big bag of clothes I was carrying.

"N-no, it's fine," I mumbled. "I had fun. And I really do like the things we bought."

"Still..." she muttered, rummaging through her pockets. She pulled out a couple of silver coins and gave them to me. "It's not much, but at least it'll shave off some of the guilt."

I smiled at her, taking the money. "Thanks..."

"Now, then, let's go to your apartment," my friend said, joyful again. "I'm starving."

She led me through the mess of bodies again, all the way to the apartment complex as the sun drifted low enough to set above the glittering city's skyline.

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Sarah's POV

The issue with Adrian's patrol the other day had come back to bite us harder. The soldier who got injured, Ford I think, had wanted to be a hero and got back into the patrolling routine even though he wasn't fully healed. Adrian had tried very hard to talk him out of it, but nothing other than a blade to the throat or discharge would've made that man let it go. So he became a soldier again, and lo and behold his injury got worse. He managed to reopen it, and in less than no time at all it got infected. He was ordered to abandon his soldiering career for at least two months, so Adrian's patrol was down a man.

The reason that is a problem with me is the fact that Jack had me transfer one of my own men to Adrian, and then take up a new recruit. I had actually liked the idea of breaking in a new soldier, as I would make sure they were the best and most prepared ever known to the six clans. However, instead of a soldier, I got stuck with Dick. Richard or 'Dick' was the single most pathetic thing to walk any of the three realms, and I was expected to somehow turn a living bowl of spaghetti into a hardened warrior.

Dick was a terrible soldier for many reasons. He lacked courage, had slow reaction time, could barely lift a gallon of milk let alone a sword, had the accuracy of a poisonous potato, had two left feet, ran as fast as a turtle on quicksand, and to top it all off was as blind as a fucking bat. I knew of no soldiers that ever fit that description, and if I'd had a choice, I would've told Adrian so shove it and take the new guy instead.

I frowned at my troops as they ran laps around the airfield. Jack had let me borrow half of the space since it was mostly unoccupied due to a lack of ships. They were slowly coming back into production, which meant that our makeshift running track got smaller every couple of weeks, but for now it did the trick. I rolled my eyes as Dick tumbled to the ground again. I used to run laps with my troops before, but my recent habit of downing ale in hopes that it'd make that runt somehow disappear had totally-forseen-but-ignored side effects that wouldn't let me run for that long.

I checked the watch on my wrist. They'd been running for about an hour. They usually did more but this hangover was killing me so I gestured for my troops to stop. The four young men and woman slowed to a trot and came over to me. Dick was trailing behind, struggling to catch his breath. I groaned inwardly, crossing my arms.

"What gives, coach?" Cameron told me as he neared. "We coulda kept going for a lot longer than that!"

"I'm not your coach, I'm your general," I told him sternly. "And I know what you all can or can't do," I said with a pointed nod at the thin young man trudging over.

The rest of my patrol groaned. "General, come on," Katie complained. "It's a miracle he can breathe! If you stop us from training just because he can't keep up, then we'll all end up like him!"

Her high-pitch and annoying-as-all-fuck voice hurt my ears. I rested my head against a palm, bracing for a headache that thankfully didn't come to fruition. "Fine. Keep running. And tell that runt to come up and talk to me."

The three of them let out cheers that grated on my eardrums. They trotted past Dick, 'accidentally' pushing him on their way. Herman told him over his shoulder that I wanted to speak to him before joining Katie and Cameron at the track. The young man nodded even though no response was elicited of him, and walked up to me.

"Yes, general?" he breathed, giving me a weak smile.

I heaved a sigh, frowning at him. "Look, Dick. I really want to believe that what you are doing out there is just a product of laziness and not your best. Because otherwise you're fucked."

The young man shrugged, still smiling a little. "Yeah, that's... my best."

I pursed my lips and suppressed another sigh, covering my right eye with my hand. That side of my head had started throbbing a bit. I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it. "Look, general, I know that a hundred percent of me is ten percent of them, but I really am trying. I-I run, four blocks every morning, a-and I train at home too. I've tried lifting weights but I'm not that good at it, but I have studied a lot of books on fighting styles and weaponry, so..."

I frowned at him and blinked once. "If I gave you a longbow, would you be able to successfully shoot the head off a spider thirty meters away?"

Dick frowned thoughtfully. "I know how, but it'd be pretty hard for... someone like me, to draw back on the string and then accurately land a blow on an enemy. I do know how, but it's just... not something I'd be good at."

I hummed. "What about a broadsword? Would you be able to take down an enderman if necessary?"

"Not with a broadsword," he muttered. "I'd never be able to lift it. But a shortsword or even a big knife, just something I could actually pick up, and I'd be able to do some damage. Just maybe not take the monster down, since it's bigger and stronger than me..."

I blinked at him again. "A shortbow. Would you be able to shoot that?"

"Definitely," Dick said with a nod. "It'd be much easier for me to handle."

Gears spun slowly in my head. It felt like a thousand bells were ringing in there. "So your problem is physical mass. But you believe yourself to have no trouble wielding a weapon."

"Yes," he nodded proudly and confidently.

I frowned thoughtfully. "Alright. Come back here tomorrow at 5am and we'll see just how good you really are. If you are a single minute late I will make you run a hundred laps."

The young man nodded. "I won't let you down, general."

I waved him away and sat down cross-legged on the concrete as he joined the rest of my patrol on the track. "I hope not."

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Author's Notes

'What? They haven't met up yet??? You f* *!'

I'm sorry but I do need to stress the distance... it's difficult for me to imagine, so I think it might be for others too. Which is why I measure the distance in days, or in this case, a week. You're going to have to wait a couple weeks of our own before they meet. Sorry.

I hadn't written a scene for Simon in a long time, but I'm glad to have finally done so again. I really liked the chapter, overall, even the 60-word-long Eba tidbit in the middle.

Anywho, thank you all so much for your time, support, and especially _patience_. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	14. Drops of Rain

Author's Notes

Here we are, on Thursday, as promised.

I basically did some rebuilding for this chapter from the ground up in a single day, simply because of ThinMint's review. But the end result was better than the original, in my opinion. :) Plus it's 500 words over my limit, which is okay.

I had this big announcement that I was struggling with my writing and that the next chapter wouldn't be going up until the week after this upcoming one, but then I looked back on it and... I mentally slapped myself, picked up my pad, and got to work. The reason I was struggling was not from lack of inspiration, but from an overdose of procrastination and video games. I set them aside, as painful as that was, and wrote 3k words that I'm really proud of.

Oh, and the next chapter will go up as usual.

Anywho... Reviews!

ThinMint, ey, I can continue to waste my brain cells! That could be a possibility, though the guy is hellbent on being a soldier. Yay! There almost wasn't any fluff, but then I remembered and fixed the chapter, thanks to you. Heh, don't worry about being melodramatic. It's healthy for you. You and me both.

sOL-'-aLOne, nay, I shall board up the window instead. :P Yes, it would've been, wouldn't it? Heh. Actually, only Thomas forgets, due to the nature of his element (sunlight). Angels are spawned from dreams while demons are spawned from nightmares; a spirit only starts forgetting themselves and loosing their element if not enough people have dreams or nightmares about them, aka Thomas. And there are plenty of spirits, just that they're hidden.

I couldn't help but get into the spirit side of my AU. It's something I like a lot. Anywho, on with the story!

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Kaitlin's POV

I blinked sleepily at the board, not quite processing what was written on there. My head felt heavy on the palm of my hand. I rapped my fingers against the desk, trying to keep myself anchored to this boring plane of reality. The royal teacher snapped her fingers at me, a worried expression on her face. "Princess?"

Jolting awake, I blinked a couple times and rubbed sleep from my eyes. "Um, yeah?"

"Are you paying attention, miss?" the teacher asked kindly.

I suppressed a moan and took a closer look at the board. "No, sorry. Say again, please?"

"During ancient times, what was the most common punishment for endangering the lives of others?" she repeated patiently.

There were three scenarios written on the quartsand board. One was a stick figure chained to a pole, one was another stick figure getting beheaded, and the last was a stick figure grooming. I frowned at the simple drawings. "Uh... jail? I guess?"

The teacher sighed. "Comunitarian work was the most common punishment for endangering others. Nowadays people are imprisoned for a short amount of time. Please, your majesty, I implore you to pay attention."

I rubbed the back of my neck, frowning apologetically. "Sorry. I'll try."

"Thank you," the blaze woman answered, unconvinced.

The next twenty minutes were a sleepy blur. I put my pencil and notebook inside of my knapsack getting up off the chair and walking towards the door along with the ten or so other students. We were all children of somebody living at or working in the castle, but nobody talked to me. That didn't bother me at all, but it did bother my teachers and mother that I had no 'social interactions' with anyone my age.

A gentle hand took hold of my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. "Princess, if I may."

I turned around, looking up at the teacher. "Of course. What is it?"

The woman sighed. "Look, miss, I know it's hard for you to listen to lectures. All of your mentors do. You just wanna... go outside, and run, and mind your own business. Believe me that I have nothing against that. But the queen truly wants you to succeed in school, and it's not good, for either of us, to report your grades being so low."

I frowned, looking over her at the window. Bright magma cast a beautiful amber light on everything. A ghast and her pup were sailing over to the other side of the molten lake. I wanted nothing more than to be out there. "Im sorry. But it's just... I can't focus on all this. It's, no offense, so boring. I don't learn anything here. Everything you say just kind of... vanishes from my head the second I leave."

The teacher frowned sadly. "I don't think tutoring is that attractive an option to you, is it?"

I grimaced, humming thoughtfully. "No, not really."

The blaze tapped her chin. "What if you received tutoring from someone close to you?"

"I'm not great friends with any of the others," I told her with a shrug.

"I didn't mean any of them," she said. "Theridas was a very good student when he was young."

I blinked incredulously. "You were Theridas' teacher?"

The blaze woman chuckled. "No, I wasn't, but we were in the same class. He wasn't exactly a straight-A student, but he never slacked off either. Perhaps you could ask him for tutoring sessions."

I hummed, thinking it over. "I guess I could. But my mother has him busy running errands all over."

"I'm sure I could convince the queen to give him time," the teacher said. "It is, after all, for the betterment of her daughter's education and grades."

She turned me around, gently nudging me through the door. "I believe you are done for the day, right?"

I nodded, happy to have finished with all of this. "Yeah, we are."

The blaze woman smiled. "Have fun, in that case. I'll see if I can't find her magesty. Don't forget to do your homework."

I was about to run off when I registered her words. "We have homework?"

My teacher chuckled. "Just making sure you were paying attention during class. No, you don't. Go on."

I breathed a sigh of relief, giving her a nod and running down the fortress hallway. I took the many familiar turns and stairs that led me to the mainbridge. I slowed to a walk once my feet touched the ancient netherbrick. The view from here was always enjoyable. We had the same massive lava lake where the fortress was built, the same creepy stalactites, the same pillars of fire, the same clumps of glowstone, quartz, gravel and sand. But it was still a different landscape every day.

Sometimes there were ghasts, arguing or just mingling over the lava lake. The pups enjoyed taking baths in the glowing substance. There were also times when I caught sight of magma cubes bouncing up and down in lava or at the shore. Their little ones preferred stacking up on each other. There was also zombie pigman brawls, which were interesting to watch. Pigmen aren't naturally aggressive, nor are they prone to attack each other. It was like watching two reluctant old men sword-fight with their walking canes.

There weren't many blazes in the wild. They became an endangered a long time ago, when the first nether portals were built and overworlders discovered brewing. Most of them nowadays lived under our care in the fortress, but there were a couple of free cells in the rest of the nether. They never kept to one place, adapting to the harsh reality that mobs from the other realms hunted them for their natural essence, and it was always magical for me to come across some on my walks. It had only happened twice in my entire life, but I remembered both times vividly.

I was five the first time it happened. It was also, coincidentally, the first time I sneaked away from the fortress. On accident, of course. I had crossed the mainbridge, curiously looking at the flaming terrain all around me. It was surprisingly empty that day; there were no monsters in sight. I wandered the caverns, avoiding death pits and sand traps as I went. Being clumsy and little, I eventually managed to trip on my own feet and began tumbling down a rough hillside.

My everything stung. I sat up, tears welling up in my eyes. I wiped them off with a hand, sobbing quietly. Gentle, golden light bathed me, but I couldn't quite see where it was coming from. I blinked a couple times, wiping more tears away. Hovering in front of me was a fireball with a surprisingly kind demonic eyes. Eight flaming rods rotated around a plume of black smoke lazily. The monster leaned in close, looking me over.

I cleaned my cheeks of grime and tears before slowly reaching out to it. The monster fluttered just out of reach, head tilted at me. It breathed out a hot tiny flame. I turned away from its heat, whining my dislike. The blaze moved back a little more, blowing another flame my way. I didn't turn from it this time, watching the fire lick the air in front of me. I smiled, reaching out again. The monster stopped, tilting its head again. I frowned at it and extended my hands.

Blaze people's fire usually comes up much later, when we're eight or nine. But I really wanted to do what the blaze had done, so I focused hard on my hands and closed my eyes. Nothing happened for a moment, but I could feel a slight warmth on my palms the next. I opened my eyes a crack to see what barely counted as fire, waving gently in my hands. The monster watched, interested, as I let out a giggle and showed it what I'd accomplished.

The blaze seemed to laugh along with me, hovering around lazily. I caught sight of a tiny blaze peeking its head around a netherrack outcrop. It was very small, with only three little rods circling around him. Another full-grown blaze showed up behind the little one, just as curious as it. Both of them fluttered over to us, and the one I had interacted with left my side to join them. I smiled, showing them my tiny flames.

What I now assume was the mother blaze stared at the fire in my hands, blowing a little of her own my way. I giggled, leaning away from the heat. The other blaze leaned in as the mother hovered away, blowing a small, beautiful plume in front of me before leaving as well. Their flamelet got really close, releasing a tiny spurt of fire before quickly following its parents. I giggled, wiping a little spot of my face and watching them drift away.

My mother and father were horrified when they found me crossing the mainbridge again, covered in scratches, bruises and soot, on my way back home. They were just about to set out with a thirty-man search party when I arrived. I was in no way punished, because I was so little, but the maid they'd told to watch me got hounded at for quite some time.

I stopped just before the bridge ended and mostly-smooth netherrack began. I took off my sneakers—which I kept in mint condition since they reminded me of my friends in the overworld—and walked barefoot over the rough terrain, smiling and carrying my shoes in my right hand. I was used to walking like this whenever I got the chance to go out on my own, to the point that I no longer felt any cuts or scratches I would inevitably get. My mother disapproved of this habit, but she wasn't here now.

I picked my way over the uneven ground, walking down to the shore. I enjoyed sitting there, watching the beauty of my home for hours on end. Sometimes I brought a book along or, if I remembered to, did my homework here, but most of the time I slept and watched. Larged white heads poked out of the molten lake, chirruping at each other. The cubs shot out, playfully exchanging fire. A bigger shape emerged, looking up at the little ghasts. It moaned, a creepy metallic sound that made the cubs trill sadly and sink back down.

I smiled, watching as the large ghast flew out of the molten lake and sailed away, turning around every once in a while to make sure her cubs were following. The little ones exchanged looks before zipping after her. I stretched my legs and folded my arms beneath my head, getting comfortable before closing my eyes. Maybe an hour had passed when something began shaking me gently.

I groaned, stretching a bit before sitting up and opening my eyes sleepily. Theridas gave me a small bow. "Is it alright that I woke you?"

I hummed, stretching some more. "Myeah, it's fine. What is it?"

"The queen said that you had asked for tutoring sessions from me," he said, a little distrustfully. "Is she right?"

I shrugged. "Sort of. My history teacher thought it would be a good way for my grades to get better."

The blaze frowned. "How bad are they?"

I pursed my lips, looking at nothing out of the corner of my eye. "Mmm... unsatisfactory."

"By what kind of margin?" Theridas asked worriedly.

"Well..." I blew a raspberry, wanting to get over with it. "I'm getting D's all across the board."

The royal servant's eyes went wide. He heaved a sigh, extending a hand out to me. "Let's get started then. We have a lot of work to do."

I frowned at his hand and then looked out at the glowing expanse of lava. I could just barely see a group of magma cubes hopping about onnthe opposite shore. "Could we start tomorrow? Please?"

Theridas shook his head. "You need to improve your grades, princess. It's best if we start as soon as possible."

I moaned, gesturing vaguely at the hellish landscape. "Ugh, could we please, please please please, start tomorrow?"

The blaze grimaced as he stared at the view I was admiring. "I don't get why you like this place so much," he muttered after a while. "It's bland, unforgiving terrain. Some of the monsters that share these caverns with us would not hesitate to tear us limb from limb. What beauty do you see in a realm like ours, when others are so much more colorful?"

I sighed, shaking my head a little and staring out at the lava lake. "It is beautiful, Theridas. The light, the natural formations, the monsters. Gentle oranges and fiery reds. I can't not love my home."

The royal servant huffed. "I much prefer the overworld, despite how cold it gets. This... this view, it's not... it cannot begin to compete with those of that realm."

"I guess that depends on your perspective," I told him, getting up. "When I escaped, there was nothing I wanted more than to come home. I... dreamed, of seeing all of this again. I idolized this place, with its dangers and atrocities. You found love in the overworld, found a home. So it seems more beautiful to you than the nether does."

Theridas hummed. "I guess so." A moment passed as he silently contemplated everything. "I suppose we could begin tomorrow," he agreed eventually. "Have a good day, princess."

"Bye Theridas," I called as he turned away and walked back to the mainbridge. "You too."

The blaze waved at me as he went by. I sat back down, getting comfortable again. I summoned a small flame in my hand, twirling it a little and watching it dance. Maybe I'd go wandering to see if I could find some monsters to spend time with. Or practice my fighting skills. It's pretty much the one thing in school I'm okay at. The other students have their own custom moves and stuff, but all I know to do is to throw fire and run.

Either way I was going to spend some time just lying here and watching nothing in particular. I needed a break from not doing anything.

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Izabell's POV

"The weather'sss a bit upssset. Don't you think it'sss better to ssstay indoorsss?"

Simon pulled his jacket off its rack, turning to our creeper friend with a smile. "We'll be fine. Worst-case scenario, it rains a little. You ready, Z?"

I adjusted my new fluffy coat and made sure my beanie was in its rightful place. "Mhm. Let's go. Bye Ara! Take care of Snowdrift and Flicky!"

The creeper smiled. "Of courssse. Have fun!"

"We will, bye!" the creeper boy called, opening the door for me and closing it behind us. My boyfriend wrapped an arm around my shoulders, giving me a light squeeze. "You look so cute with your little hat," he told me, pecking my cheek.

I pushed him away playfully, feeling my cheeks redden as I smiled. "It's a beanie," I corrected him.

"I know, but what matters is you look cute," he said, taking my hand.

Winter was still desperately holding on to what little time it had left, the most recent couple of days having been cold and cloudy. Spring was right on its heels, though, which was good. Simon had planned for us to explore some of Globe Chapel City, which we hadn't really done so far. We only knew the route to Eba's apartment and all the 'exciting' things on the way. But since he had the day off, the creeper boy decided a tour would be fun.

We took a pleasant walk through the woods, talking about whatever or enjoying the comfort of each other's presence. The outskirts of the city neared, beginning with a few poor homes and little shops. But 'poor' was a subjective term. The houses were lovely, if a bit small, and it looked like the people weren't exactly groveling for food. That was an upside of this place; there were so many ethnic groups and so many clans participating in its growth that even the poor sector looked like middle-class when compared to most others.

We stopped every now and then at the shops to buy food or trinkets. We had some 'honey biscuits' which we liked, fried crickets which we didn't, and some diced chorus fruit, which was okay, and thankfully didn't teleport us anywhere. Simon bought a new fountain pen, and he got me a bracelet with carved wooden beads. I got myself a pair of fluffy socks and a new notebook for him. We came across one last store before leaving the outskirts. It had a bunch of lovely dream-catchers on display.

Simon was distracted with the rest of what the man sold, and I asked the shopkeep to bring a teal dream-catcher down. I paid for it and then showed the creeper boy. "Look! To capture any ideas that might keep you up at night."

He smiled at me, pulling me close and carefully tucking the gift into one of his jacket's inner pockets. "Thanks, I really need something like this. Let's keep going."

We walked down the streets that got busier by the minute. The small trinket shops and food stands were taken over by grocery stores, hair salons, clothes outlets, and restaurants. Simon led me over to an ice cream parlor nearby. "Want some ice cream?" he asked.

I smiled. "Yeah, I could go for ice cream."

The parlor had a glass case showing off buckets filled with various colorful kinds of the sweet substance. There was a line five people long on one side, while a couple others waited to pay at the other. We got in line, looking up at the board with every flavor and price written down.

_Small cup - 3 sliver coins / Medium cup - 4 silver coins / Big cup - 6 silver coins / cone - 1 Silver coin_

_\- Sweetberry - Chocolate - Vanilla - Chorus fruit - Pistachio - Mint chip - Coconut - Peanut_

_\- Almond - Grape - Cherry - Lemon - Corn - Cucumber - Chocochip - Mango - Pinapple_

I smiled in confusion. "Corn ice cream?" I asked Simon.

"Cucumber too," he said with an impressed frown. "That's a neat selection. It seems everyone likes chorus fruit over here. Which flavor do you want?"

"Mmm... vanilla," I answered, not really wantin to try any new flavors at the moment. The crickets had been enough of that for today.

"I'll take coconut," Simon said absently. "Do you want a small or medium cup?"

"Small for both of us, right?" I asked. "It's kind of expensive."

"I work in the most prestigious engineering lab," my boyfriend reminded me smugly. "It doesn't really matter if it's expensive."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, then I want a medium cup. I'd like a large, but I don't really want to be stuck here for the rest of the day."

Simon nodded, and we waited our turn. It took a few minutes, and then we were at the front of the line. A young woman rubbed sleep from her eyes and did her best to smile politely at us from the other side of the counter. "Good day, welcome to Barlow's Parlor. What can I get you?"

"Good day," the creeper boy said with a nod. "We'll have two medium cones, one for vanilla and the other for coconut."

The lady nodded, taking a metal scoop and a couple of cones from a pantry. She walked over to the buckets of ice cream, gesturing for us to move. "I'll give you your order over here at the opposite counter."

We walked over to the other side, watching her scoop up our ice cream and then drop it into their cones. She grabbed a bottle out of the many lining the right-hand wall on a shelf. "Chocolate covering, on either one?"

I gave her a nod, while Simon shook his head. "Not for me, thanks."

The woman poured some of the dark, sweet liquid on my cone before returning the bottle to the shelf. She placed our ice cream on the counter, taking two cherries by their sticks and placing them atop the mounds of sugar. "Here you go. That'll be ten silver coins."

Simon nodded, rummaging through his pockets and coming up with the exact amount. "Thank you."

The lady nodded, quickly moving towards to deal with the other customers. "Thank you, have a nice day."

We continued walking towards the cultural center area. Simon hummed after trying his ice cream. "It's pretty good. Wanna try?"

I frowned at it before shrugging, having a taste from the untouched side he offered me. "You're right, it is good. Maybe we could take some back for Ara to try."

The creeper boy nodded. "We'll have to see if they give it to go. How's your ice cream?"

I plucked the cherry off its perch and held it in my mouth, pulling the stick out before chewing. "I haven't tried it yet. It jusht looksh too good."

Simon chuckled. "I don't know why you like the chocolate covering. It's a bit too hard and makes a mess."

"It does not," I told him, taking a bite out of it to show him. My teeth complained, but I wanted to prove my boyfriend wrong. The chocolate cover snapped in a couple of places, but thankfully didn't fall off. Sweetness bathed my tongue. "Mine ish very good too," I told him, offering the cone.

The creeper boy hesitated before taking it from me, and trying the part without any chocolate on it. He hummed after a moment. "It's good, but I think mine's better," he said, handing it back to me. "That place just sells really good ice cream."

I nodded, biting some of the chocolate cover off again. "Mmm. We've got to come back shometime."

Simon wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Now that I have time off every week, we'll be able to go anywhere you want."

I smiled, hugging his waist. "Is that a promise?"

He raised his ice cream cone, keeping a grip on it with three fingers while opening the rest. "I swear on your life."

I giggled, leaning my head on his shoulder. "On my life? Why not yours?"

"I have stuff I still haven't done," he explained with a smile. "If I accidentally break my promise, it won't stop me from doing any of that."

I narrowed my eyes at him playfully. "You are very selfish, Simon."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he answered, giving me a squeeze.

I couldn't help but giggle, following him as he led me along the busy city streets.

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I dragged Simon into a costume store, having seen a beautiful feathery dress and mask. I pulled the latter from its hook, putting it up to my face. "What do you think?"

The creeper boy smiled. "Phew. It's a lot easier to look at you now."

I took the mask off, shoving him away with an embarrassed smile. "You jerk!"

"I'm sorry," he said, pulling me into an unwilling embrace. "You're beautiful in every possible way."

I hummed in mock complaint, not really trying too hard to escape his hug. Simon planted a kiss on the top of my head and let me go, walking over to a bunch of masks to the right. They were very colorful—almost aggressively so—and intricate. Some were wooden with carvings and feathers attached to their edges, others were seemingly made of sticks and leaves alone, shaped into various kinds of expressions and faces, both demonic and angelical.

Simon pulled a mask off the wall. It was painted to look silver, with a few lines and divisions carved into the wood as well as orange and green feathers sticking out its top edge. It looked like it was maybe supposed to be a snake of some sort. The creeper boy put it up to his face and walked over to a mirror propped up against a wall. I followed him, and waited as he took a good look at himself.

"It makes you easier to look at," I joked.

The creeper boy smiled and took off the mask. "That's illegal. You can't use my own words against me."

"I just did," I said, getting a quick hug from him.

"It's pretty cool," he said, placing the mask back in its place. "Kind of gives me an idea. Are you gonna buy anything or shall we move on?"

I hummed, looking around one last time. A pretty feather crown presented itself. I walked over and took it to Simon. "How about this?" I put it on my head and spun once. "How do I look?"

He planted a kiss on my cheek. "Like a beautiful princess. Let's go pay for it."

We walked over to to the counter, where a perky-looking young girl was playing with a mask. She noticed us and smiled, getting up with slight difficulty onto a chair. "Hi! I'm Lily. My mommy's busy at the moment, so I get to sit at the desk!"

We smiled at the little girl. "Hi, Lily," I said, taking the crown off. "I'm Izabell. Could I buy this pretty crown from you?"

She nodded vigorously. "Yep! Where did you find it?"

"On that shelf over there," I answered, pointing at it.

Lily stuck her tongue out, leaning to peek over my shoudler. "It costs three silver coins," she announced after a second.

I gave her a nod, rummaging through my pockets. Simon places three of the shiny circles on the desk. "Here you go. Thanks, Lily."

"Bye!" the little girl said with a wave, picking up the coins and putting them in a box. "Have a nice day!"

"You too sweetheart!" I called as we walked out the door. It had gotten even more gloomy since we left the house. "I think it's gonna rain," I murmured, looking at the graying clouds.

Simon clicked his tongue. "Nah. The clouds are just being fussy is all."

I hummed as we walked on, staring at the sky for a moment longer bore turning away. And the second I did, a cold droplet landed on my face. I stopped and wiped the water off with the back of my hand, turning to Simon. The creeper boy looked just as surprised as I felt. More droplets began falling from the sky at an alarmingly increasing rate. My boyfriend and I ran, not really thinking about where we could go as heavy rainfall began misting up the city streets.

"Okay," Simon shouted next to me with a smile. "I'll admit, I might've been wrong about the rain!"

"You think?" I shouted back, keeping my beanie pressed to my head. I couldn't help but giggle as we tried to outrun the clouds and water. Everyone else that had been on the streets scattered, seeking shelter in the nearby stores or rushing home. I spotted a closed shop front with a concrete overhang, pointing it out to Simon. The creeper boy and I ran under it, both of us breathing heavily and smiling despite the cold.

I pulled my hat off, wringing the water out. It was thankfully not as soaked as the rest of me. Simon zipped up his jacket and sighed. His hair was dripping wet. "Now I wish I had a beanie like you," he said, combing his hand through the wet strands.

I giggled, tucking my own strands of wild hair behind my ears. "You should. It's not only stylish, it keeps my head warm and dry."

Simon smiled, pulling me close and planting a kiss on my cold cheek. We waited a while under our shelter, watching the sheen of rain that soaked the entire area thoroughly. The creeper boy hummed after a few minutes. The storm had not let up in the slightest. "I guess we live here now. With nothing to eat except..." he rummaged through his pockets. "Some chorus fruit chunks and crickets."

I made a face. "Yuck. I think I'll have the chorus fruit instead."

The creeper boy chuckled. "Well, I'm actually kind of hungry. You?"

I nodded. "Yeah, a little. But I really don't want those crickets."

"Me neither," Simon agreed. He walked to the edge of the concrete slab, just out of direct impact range, but close enough to get his shoes soaked. "I think there's a restaurant over there. If we're willing to cross the monsoon to reach it."

I hummed. "Maybe after a few minutes? The rain might slow down."

My boyfriend stepped away from the rain and wrapped me up in an embrace. "Okay, let's wait a while."

Minutes ticked by with the only sound being that of the pouring rain. Simon placed his head on my shoulder and closed his eyes. I smiled, combing my hand through his hair. The creeper boy hummed, relaxing a little. The rain was still going strong some time later.

"I think a while's passed," Simon murmured, straightening up.

"Yeah... I'm a bit cold," I complained quietly.

Simon squeezed me a little. "I know, Z. Do you want to risk going through the rain or would you rather stay here?"

I frowned, grabbing his hand and rubbing it with my thumb absently. "Let's go. It can't be worse than where we are at the moment."

The creeper boy nodded and planted another kiss on my cheek. "Alright. Put your beanie on."

I pulled my hat from my pockets and placed it tightly on my head. Simon extended the neck of his shirt with an 'it's better than nothing' look. "You ready?" he asked.

I put on my coat's hood over my beanie and nodded. "Ready."

Simon brought us to the edge of the concrete slab. "Three... two... one... go!"

We dashed through the rain, my boyfriend leading me onwards with a hand around my wrist. It was only a few seconds we spent crossing the small square, but by the time we reached and had gotten into the restaurant, we were both thoroughly soaked once more. Thankfully, warmth came from various fireplaces set up along the walls.

Simon chuckled, wiping his hands unsuccessfully on his wet jeans. "That was fun."

I giggled, removing my coat's hood. My beanie was nice and dry still. "I guess so."

"I'm glad you think so," Simon said, bringing me over to a table and pulling out a chair for me.

I smiled, sitting down. The creeper boy took a seat in front of me, and looked around. The restaurant was prettily lit with lanterns hanging from the roof, casting an orange glow on everything. There were a couple signs disguised as art pieces on the walls that read 'Terry's'. A young man walked up to our table with a couple of menus in hand.

"Good afternoon, welcome to Terry's. We have a promotion today for warm chicken soup at two for one, if you're interested," he told us, opening a menu and showing us a picture and price for the bowl of soup.

Simon and I exchanged looks, and he nodded. "Yes, thank you. Maybe some coffee, or something warm to drink."

"Hot chocolate for me," I added.

The man nodded. "Of course. Your order will be ready in just a moment."

He walked away, leaving us alone again. Simon hummed. "They wasted no time on that special, huh?"

I giggled. "Yeah. But that's good, though. At least we get a warm meal."

The creeper boy nodded. "I'm sorry our outing turned into such a mess," he said with an apologetic smile.

"Don't be. I've been having fun so far," I assured him, taking his hand. "I'm really really glad to have gotten to spend some more time with you. I missed it."

Simon's lips stretched in a genuine smile. "I missed it too." He kissed the back of my hand and got up, moving to sit next to me. "Thank you for being so patient with me," he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me close.

I smiled, placing my head on his shoulder. "Thank you for making it worth the wait."

The creeper boy sighed, kissing the top of my head. "I love you, Z," he murmured.

I wiggled a little, getting an arm out and around his midsection. "I love you too."

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Author's Notes

I always forget how tired writing leaves me...

This chapter had an alarming lack of Izabell and Simon, which was promptly fixed simply because ThinMint reminded me of that. And for that, I thank you.

I'm really proud of how it turned out, despite it being a bit difficult. I hope you fellas like it too.

Thank you so much for your time and support! Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	15. Some More Help

Author's Notes

I'm really sorry this one is so late. But hey, at least it's not a day late, right? And, uh, to add to the situation, this chapter is actually 200 words short. So, sorry about that. I'll make sure the next chapter is at least 200 words over my self-imposed limit.

Also... well, the biggest problem I have when writing is lack of inspiration. I have ideas, usually time, and music, but not inspiration. So... I would very much appreciate it if you would follow and or favorite my story. As petty as it might seem to you, checking my mail to find out I got a new review, or that somebody started following KOS really boosts my self-confidence and will to write. So please, follow, favorite, and review. It helps me get through rough patches and in turn ensures I don't skip a week because I didn't finish the next chapter in time.

Anywho, Reviews!

ScarOfHerobrine, heh, they do. Yeah, sorry. Most of these are... ooh, they're not. Heh, he's going as fast as the airship can sail!

GiggiEba, I'm glad you liked it! Heh, they're a lot worse than everyone's. Nah, they'll be fine. I'm glad you did, and the wait is over! (for now)

Now, let's get on with the story!

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Sarah's POV

I waited patiently at the center of the unoccupied section of airfield. The sun hadn't risen above the outer wall or any of the city's buildings. You couldn't even see a single ray of sunshine yet. There were, thankfully, torches set up on the perimeter of and at certain intervals within the airfield to discourage monsters from sneaking in somehow, so the dark was not an issue. It just felt kind of sombre and lonely. Leaning close to one of the redstone lamps nearby to take a better look, I checked my watch. There were still a couple of minutes left until 5am.

Looking up from my watch, I absently began scanning the edges of the large concrete space. My gaze locked onto a thin shape jogging its way towards me. It's not like I expected Dick to be late, but I still felt a little surprised that the guy had even showed up. I pulled the heavy leather bag containing an assortment of weapons off my shoulder, letting it drop to the ground with a clatter of metal.

Dick came to a stop, breathing laboriously, in front of me. He straightened up for a second and gave me a salute before bending down again to catch his breath. I crossed my arms, giving him some time to recover. The young man eventually heaved a deep breath and nodded, staring expectantly at me.

I shrugged at him, searching through the leather bag and taking out a light shortsword. "Morning. First I want you to stretch and warm up. Run five laps for me after. Then we'll get to weapons training."

The young man looked like he was going to argue but then nodded, quickly walking over to our makeshift track and beginning his run. I wandered around as I waited for him to finish. I had thought about how this was going to go down for hours last night. Training Dick was more off-putting by the minute. Honestly, I was kind of worried that if I did so like I had with my other troops, the boy would break. I sighed as the young man sprinted at an incredibly slow pace, and hid my face from view as he stumbled onto his back.

It took the young man more than half an hour to finish five laps. Half an hour! Dick walked over, breathing heavily, and flopped down at my feet. I stared down at him, unable to hide my disappointment. "We're going to have to work on your cardio. A lot."

The young man simply nodded, trying hard to catch his fleeing breath. I picked up the shorsword again, lifting and lowering the weapon experimentally. It suddenly felt heavier than I imagined Dick could carry. So I put the sword down and picked out a large hunting knife from the bag.

"Here," I told him, handing Dick the weapon. "We'll use this first."

The young man took my offering with his right hand and stared at it. "I'm sure I ca... can lift a sword," he muttered.

"Not as you are," I answered, picking out a dagger similar in size to his knife. I kicked the bag of weapons away and got into a defensive stance a couple meters from him. "Start with something small, and once you catch your breath, we can use swords instead."

Dick nodded, trying to copy my stance where he was. It was lopsided, and wide open on the left flank. I frowned at him. "Normally I would have you on your back with a blade to your throat in less than two seconds, but I don't think you'll learn much that way."

I walked up to the stunned young man. "Widen your stance. Otherwise, someone could come along and do this."

He had barely a second to register what I said before I gave his right shoulder a firm shove. Dick flopped onto his side the way you'd expect a bag of flour to do. I offered him a hand and helped the young man find his feet.

"Raise your dominant arm more," I instructed once he got back into the proper stance. "You must keep your face protected at all times, and that means raising your weapon to cover it."

Dick nodded, lifting his left arm a little. I frowned. "I thought you were right-handed."

"No, I use my left," he told me, a little confused.

"Then why are you holding the knife in your right hand?" I asked him.

The young man blinked and then swapped his weapon from one hand to the other. "Sorry."

I rolled my eyes and looked at his stance again. Now he had both his hands raised, leaving his torso exposed. I reared back and feigned a kick at his midsection. Dick flinched back, eyes widening. "You must keep your head protected, but that doesn't mean ignore every other organ. Lower your right hand."

Dick sighed, relaxing a bit and doing as told. His stance wasn't perfect, but I hadn't expected it to be. And I wasn't about to get touchy-feely with him to make sure it was. "I'm going to pretend-hit you, alright? Five attacks, random order, in random areas. Drop the knife and try to defend yourself with your hands."

The young man frowned a little, crouching to let his weapon rest on the floor quietly. He straightened up and got into something similar to the defensive stance I'd told him to take. He was doing a weird chicken-wing thing with his left arm, leaving that flank wide open. His legs were also crooked, which would make him easy to topple. If I threw kicks at those two areas, his face and right shoulder would make easy targets. And I'd simply push him back for the finishing blow.

I rolled my shoulders, reminding myself that I wasn't actually going to beat him up. "Ready?"

Dick took a deep breath. "Ready, general."

Not a second had passed after the words left his mouth when I struck. I swung my right leg at his left flank, catching him by surprise. I stopped myself before landing the blow and recovered, immediately going on to swing my left leg at his right knee. Dick almost dropped to the ground by himself while trying to avoid my faux attack, letting his guard down to maintain his balance, as I expected. I threw a right hook at his left shoulder, making him rear back. His head was like a big target screaming 'hit me', and I swung a fist in his direction, stopping less than an inch from his nose.

I didn't even have to land the fifth blow. Dick stumbled back, tripping over himself and dropping to the floor with a surprised grunt. I frowned down at the young man. "You need to improve your stance. What could you have done to avoid all these attacks?"

Dick rubbed at the back of his head, frowning up at me. "I could've stayed at home," he mused.

"But you didn't," I said, feeling inspirational as I stretched a hand out to help him back up. "And that alone proves to me you do want to be a good soldier. So get on your feet, and improve your stance. What could you have done better?"

The young man sighed, rubbing his sore backside. "Uh... lower my left elbow? Maybe widen my stance? And try to not fall?"

"Don't drop your guard," I said with a nod. "If you feel like you're going to fall, lean back. If you land face first, there's nothing you can do to defend yourself, so it's preferable to land on your back. Above all, don't let your guard down. Keep your left arm in front of your face at all times."

Dick nodded, trying to fix his stance with what he'd learned. His dominant arm was a bit close to his face. I showed him this by giving it a slight shove, causing him to hit himself gently. "Don't have it so close to you. Keep it in front but a safe distance away, maybe four inches."

The soldier rubbed at his nose, a little surprised at the soft attack, and got back into an improved battle stance. There were still minor flaws I could exploit to take him down, but he'd learn to do better in time. I got into position again. "Ready this time?"

He gave me a little grimace. "You're not going to hit me, are you general?"

I shrugged. "I should, but I'm not going to. Ready?"

Still unsure, Dick rolled his shoulders, and nodded. "I am."

He relaxed somewhat after rolling his shoulders. There was now a weird spark in his eyes as well. The spaghetti man was plotting something. His left leg had spread open a bit, almost inviting me to kick it out from underneath him. His right flank was also exposed now, as Dick had moved his arm a little ways away. I didn't know wether to feel proud or insulted that he believed a trick like that would work on me. His leg was in position so that if I struck at it, he'd be able to regain balance, and if I attacked his flank, he'd take hold of my foot.

I feigned a kick, aimed at his right leg, and caught him by surprise. His knee shot out in fear of being struck, and he almost fell on his side. The young man stopped himself with his right hand and kept his left raised to protect himself from any more incoming strikes. All I'd really have to do to knock him down was land a firm kick on his shoulder, but I managed to refrain from doing so.

I extended a hand out to him. "That should teach you to not get funny with me. On your feet, and let's do this properly."

Dick sighed, sitting up and taking my hand. "Sorry, general. I won't do it again."

"It's not a bad strategy," I told him as I pulled the man up. "But you need practice. What you did there was expose two flanks and then a third you didn't consider. If that happens in battle, then you will not live to tell the tale."

The young man blinked at me, and nodded with a downtrodden look. I got into a battlestance a short distance away. "Ready?"

Dick took up his own battlestance and gave me a firm nod. I faked seven attacks in rapid succession, aimed at the different areas where he could improve. It only would have taken two more for me to knock him down, but I stopped myself. We repeated this exersice another five times, and he improved little by little. I recovered from one last kick and walked over to the leather weapons bag. I picked up my dagger and walked over to him.

"Now you know how to defend yourself without a weapon," I told him. "Let's work on defending ourselves _with_ a weapon, against a weapon."

The young man frowned at me, going over to pick up his knife which lay on the floor a couple feet away. "Shouldn't we be wearing armor for this?"

"Did you bring armor?" I asked. "Can you _carry_ armor?"

Dick shrank back a little, and I kept going before he could speak. "The training armor is just as heavy as the real deal, and I can't carry two suits of it. So we won't be using armor."

He gave me a small nod, staring down at his knife and picking up his defensive stance. I walked up to him and pretended to slice every unprotected space. "It's much different to defend yourself with a weapon. You depend on it to block or parry an attack, so you're going to have to react quickly. Especially when I'm your opponent."

The young man swallowed a little, moving into what he thought would be a better stance. "I'm ready."

I gave him a nod and walked a couple meters away, picking up my own stance. "Good." Then I rushed at him, my dagger whistling as it sliced across the air.

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Eba's POV

Annie, Cynthia, and I sat at a table on one of Globe Chapel City's many parks. Well, Cynthia was sitting _on_ the table. She didn't have her strange shutter glasses, revealing her eyes to be an emerald green. Annie had pulled me out of bed earlier today, had me get dressed 'as prettily as possible', and then dragged me out of my apartment all the way over here. We were supposed to go to the park yesterday, but it had been raining, so instead we went today. It was cloudy, but no rain had fallen which is good. It was still cold though, and I was really starting to miss my hoodie.

We weren't really doing much at the park. Annie sat us down, and then she and Cynthia started talking about stuff. I felt a little excluded, just sitting there with my head propped up on my hands, staring at everyone else running around and enjoying their day. Annie suddenly wrapped her arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to her.

"We," she said excitedly, "are going to be helping Eba hook up!"

I blinked, pulling away in surprise. "Wh-what???"

"Wait, seriously?" Cynthia asked. "What's why you brought us over at eight in the morning?"

Annie nodded. "Mhm. There's lots of people around early, but not so many that it's suffocating for her," she said, pulling me close again.

I frowned at the many people going about. "Why? I-I don't... want to do that."

"Yeah, Anne," Cynthia said with a nod. "You can't force her to hook up if she doesn't want to. Besides, I'm not really good at that." She placed her head in her hand, leaning down and staring at me with a weird smile, halflidded eyes, and a raised eyebrow. "But I am great at making beauties look even better."

I looked away, not really knowing how to feel about the way she was looking at me. Annie gave me a little hug and then stood up, pulling my to my feet. "Leave her be, Cy. And come on, it'll be fun! At least talk to some new people. We're trying to help you recover confidence, right? Learning to talk to people is a great way to do that."

Still uncertain, I looked around and then down at myself. I was wearing my penguin-tail blouse, my black sweatpants, and my pink sneakers. I liked the outfit when I looked myself in the mirror, but now I wasn't sure if it was good enough.

Cynthia seemed to read my thoughts, as she got up and wrapped her left arm around my shoulders in a comforting manner. "You look great, trust me. You look drop-dead gorgeous no matter what you wear, alright? Believe me, I would know."

I smiled at the woman, my cheeks feeling warm. She pulled away after giving me a squeeze, crossing her arms. "What's your plan exactly, Anne?"

"I was thinking a damsel in distress scenario," my friend began excitedly. "She'd be jogging on the path, and if she finds a cute guy she likes, she would pass them and 'accidentally' trip. They'd be all gentleman-like, helping her up, and she'd go 'hey, wanna watch a movie or go have a coffee' or something, and tah-dah!"

Both Cynthia and I frowned at my friend. The woman shook her head. "She's not doing that."

"It's foolproof!" Annie told her.

"Proof you're a fool," Cynthia shot back. "Why fabricate a scene when all she has to do is just walk up to someone..."

She turned around, standing inches away from me. I took a step back, surprised. "Say hi," she went on with a wave, giving me some space. "I'm Cynthia. Who are you?"

I blinked, barely keeping up with my thought process. "Uh... E-Eba."

"Nice to meet you, Eba," she said, extending a hand out to me. "You're beautiful. Would you like to go on a date with me sometime?"

I shook her hand timidly. "S-sure?"

Cynthia smirked, looking at Annie over her shoulder. "And that's all I had to do to book a date with her."

My brain simply went out. "Wh-wait, huh?"

The woman shrugged, looking genuinely pleased with herself. "No take-backs, you agreed to it, handshake and everything."

Annie rolled her eyes. "Stop teasing her like that, Cy. And she's not as confident as you are, so I think it'll be easier for her using my method."

"Come on, she's plenty confident," Cynthia said, pulling me close to them.

"But it'll be easier if we generate a more... organic environment, instead of shoving her in front of a guy and telling her to say hi."

"There's nothing organic about the environment you want to generate," the woman said with a disapproving frown. "Alright, let's do this instead. What do _you_ want to do, sweetheart?"

I had yet to restart my brain, and the 'sweetheart' thing really threw me off. "Uh… I… wh-... want to go home?"

Annie rolled her eyes, and I earned a giggle from Cynthia. "I bet you do. Let me put it this way: would you rather start a conversation by pretending to trip and fall, or by going up to and talking to someone?"

I frowned, considering my options. Neither option was very attractive to be honest. I guess I could just firmly say 'no' and then go home… or just warp away without a word. My apartment is pretty far though…

I sighed, looking back up at my friends. "I-I think I'd rather… talk to someone. L-like, go up to them."

The young woman gave me another little hug. "Attagirl. Look around, see if you can't find anyone interesting."

Annie nodded, pulling me away from Cynthia. "I spy a handsome one over there," she said, discreetly pointing at a tall man with slicked-back hair and okay features.

Cynthia huffed, walking up to us. "He's as generic and boring as they get. Do you have any idea how many dudes ask for a hairdo like that? There's nothing behind 'em, trust me."

"Alright, how about him?" My friend asked, pointing at someone else.

The young woman hummed disapprovingly. "D'ya see his face? Probably started working out so people would ignore it. I think Eba deserves better."

"What would you know about guys anyway?" Annie asked, hands on her hips.

"Same as you," Cynthia answered, copying our friend's stance. "Just because I think women are the most attractive creatures on the planet doesn't mean I can't tell if a guy's hot or not."

I stepped away from them as their argument went on. In all honesty, this little outing was fast becoming my worst one. I started wandering around, simply wanting to stay away from my two bickering friends. I saw a group of people tossing a frisbee, another just kicking a ball around, a third sitting on the floor... meditating, I think? I sighed, wishing to be doing something as fun as what everyone else was doing. I continued to walk in a straight line, watching everyone without really looking where I was going.

I suddenly hit my head against something hard. I stumbled back, managing to stay on my feet, and blinked. A guy around my age flopped onto his rear, groaning a little and rubbing his head. I knelt down immediately, offering a hand to him. "Sorry- I'm sorry! I-I should've looked where I was going!"

The guy opened one eye, smiling at me. He noticed my hand and took it. "I'm sorry too. Are you okay?"

I helped him up, pulling my hand away afterwards. "Y-yeah, I-I'm fine. Di-did you get hurt?"

He shrugged, dusting off his bottom. "No, I'm good. Sorry about that." The guy stretched out his hand, giving me an apologetic smile. "My name's Gabe. Nice to meet you."

I took his hand and shook it. "I'm Eba. A-again, sorry..."

Gabe made a waving gesture. "It's fine. I wasn't paying attention either."

We just stood there for a moment. I fiddled with my blouse's sleeves, staring at the ground in shame. The silence got awkward, I started debating with myself if I should say something or not, but Gabe beat me to it. "So, uh, what are you doing out here?"

I looked up. "Oh, u-um, I'm here with some friends..." I turned around, scanning the area for Annie and Cynthia. My friends were standing next to our table, holding hands and staring back excitedly. They waved and made hand gestures at me, which from here looked like they were crazy. I smiled apologetically.

"I-I-I- th-they're usually not like this," I said, unable to keep an embarrassed and nervous giggle from my voice.

Gabe's mouth turned into a bemused smile, and he looked at my friends over my shoulder. "They seem nice. So you're just hanging around?"

I hugged myself, nodding. "Yeah, I guess. My, um, my friend, the uh, the one on the left? Sh-she dragged me out of my bed at ten in the morning because she wanted me to, um... wanted to help me... hook up with... someone..." I immediately regretted every word that left my mouth.

The guy snickered a little. "I've been there too. I appreciate that of them, but it's kind of awkward, don't you think?"

I nodded, trying to hide from my batty friends. "Mhm. It makes me sort of uncomfortable, to be honest..."

Gabe crossed his arms, looking around. "Um... a-are you here with friends?" I asked after a moment.

He turned back to me and shook his head. "No, I was just jogging. But my head was in the clouds, so, I ended up crashing into you."

I nodded again. "Right..."

Silence stretched between us again. Gabe eventually shrugged. "Hey, I have an idea."

I raised an eyebrow. "An idea?"

Gabe nodded. "Why don't we go have a coffee sometime? Y'know, So our friends stop pestering us about not getting dates, and maybe to make up for having hit you?"

I blinked at him. "Uh... o-okay, I-I think. Um... wh-when?"

He frowned thoughtfully. "How about... Tuesday afternoon? When do you get off work?"

"A-at... um..." I was still processing his offer. "2pm. I work in the, uh... grocery store, n-next to the Puffy's Bakery to the east?"

Gabe thought for a minute and then gave me a nod. "I think I know which one you mean. The one with the big red letters on top?"

"Mhm," I answered with a nod.

He smiled at me. "Okay, So, I guess I'll pick you up when you get off work? I'm sure we could find a nice coffee shop around there somewhere."

I was still hugging myself, but I forced my arms to hang—albeit stiffly—at my sides. "Y-Yeah, that sounds g-good..."

Gabe nodded again. "Awesome. So, I'll see you on Tuesday?"

I hummed in agreement. It had been chilly mere minutes ago, but my cheeks felt warmer than an oven. "Y-h-huh, uh-huh. O-on Tuesday."

His smile widened. "Great. Uh, bye, then."

I waved a little, unable to keep my arms from hugging me. "Bye..."

Gabe turned away after a second, almost hesitantly, and continued with his run. My brain finally processed what had happened, and I went running back to my friends. They looked just as nervous and excited as I felt. Both of them met me in the middle when they realized I was coming back. Annie enveloped me in a hug, and I felt Cynthia doing the same to my right. I... I cried, a-a little, because I just couldn't... believe any of it.

"What happened?" Annie asked, pulling away a little. "What's he like? What'd he say?"

Cynthia pulled me close to her. "Take it easy, Anne, don't you see she's still shook up? Alright, try to organize your thoughts, slowly, carefully, and tell us what went down."

The woman led me back to our table and sat me next to her, arms still holding me in a comforting embrace. I wiped those embarrassing tears from my face, blinking at her. "U-um, I... w-we crashed into each other, because we weren't paying attention. A-and we talked, a little..."

Annie took my hand. "What's his name?"

"Uh... G-Gabe," I answered. "He, uh, he... invited me to go have a coffee with him," I told them, losing my voice with every word.

My friend shrieked excitedly, startling both me and Cynthia. "Oh, Lords, that's amazing! You did it, Eba!"

She sat down and hugged me tightly again, squeezing the breath out of me. Cynthia pushed her away. "Let her breathe. I'm proud of you, sweetheart. But you still owe me that date, hear me?"

I shrank a little in her embrace. I was probably beet-red all over at this point. "Uh-y-hu-yeah-huh..."

Cynthia squeezed me a little. "Great. When's your other date?"

"Um... t-Tuesday..." I answered quietly.

"This is so exciting!" Annie said. "You're going to tell us aaall about your date, okay?"

I gave her a little nod, trying to make myself seem as small as possible. Cynthia frowned at Annie. "She won't if she doesn't feel like it, okay? Don't push her around."

My friend blinked, her smile dissipating a little. "Right. Sorry, it's just very exciting... I haven't been pushing you, have I Eba?"

She suddenly looked very guilty. I shrugged, not wanting to make her feel worse. "A little, b-but it's fine. Don't worry about it..."

Annie sighed, moving closer and wrapping her arms around me like Cynthia had. "I'm still sorry. I was supposed to help, and- actually, I was supposed to help you train for the tournament!"

I frowned, and then it hit me. "You're right! I forgot about the tournament!"

Cynthia looked deeply confused. "What tournament?"

"Lady Anastasia," I began, wiggling out of her embrace, "th-the queen of the endermen, is going to retire as monarch."

Annie nodded. "But because she doesn't have an heir, she's hosting this big fighting tournament to choose a new ruler."

Our friend digested this information slowly. "That's pretty interesting. And you're going to be participating in the tournament?"

"That's the plan," I mumbled. Then I mentally slapped myself. "But I haven't even signed up for it..."

"What?" Annie asked disbelievingly. "Why not? When do the admissions close?"

"I-I-I was w-with you," I stammered out. "A-and I think tomorrow..."

My friend suddenly pulled me to my feet. "Then let's go! We have to get you enrolled now!"

Cynthia rolled her eyes, following us. "Do you know when the tournament starts?"

I looked at her over my shoulder. "In a week, I think."

The woman nodded. "Then we have a week to make you the best fighter we can. Although, to be honest, I'm not sure either one of us could help you much in that aspect."

I made Annie slow down and then stop, considering Cynthia's words. I knew Annie could barely swing around her family heirloom sword, and I didn't think my other friend was that great at fighting either. I could probably ask one of my other friends to help me train... but who? Annie and Cynthia waited patiently, exchanging looks, as I racked my head for an answer. Sarah's a great warrior, but she's usually very busy. So is Adrian- everyone, really, has been busy.

Then I remembered the only one of us who isn't. She probably doesn't know how to fight either, but there's someone in her head who does. I blinked uncertainly at my friends. "I have a... friend who can help me train."

Annie smiled. "Really? That's great!"

"It certainly helps," Cynthia conceded. "Where do they live?"

I pointed uncertainly at the southwest. "Um... in a big house, maybe a kilometer from the city's outskirts..."

My friends exchanged looks. Cynthia shrugged, draping her arm over my shoulder and leading us to where I was pointing. "Then let's go. We're going to get you into the tournament and then we'll go meet your friend. Sound like a plan?"

I nodded, thankful that she was being so supportive. Wait... was she trying to woo me with support? "Do you know where to sign up for the tournament?" Annie asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"O-oh, uh... a-at the Globe chapel," I answered.

My friend sighed. "That's in the opposite direction..."

Cynthia turned us around and continued onwards without a hitch. "Then that's where we'll go first. Come along, Anne."

I smiled apologetically at my friend, who smiled in return. I was glad to have them around, even if Cynthia was... well, not bothering me, exactly... j-just, being her, I guess. It felt good to have friends who wanted to help me, like the others had when we lived in the valley. Like Blight had when we lived in the valley. I suppressed a sigh. I missed him so much... but at least I'd get to see him again soon.

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Author's Notes

The chapter actually got to 5k words, but I'm not counting it because 200 of those are from the AN and Reviews! sections.

I really liked Cynthia's character, and I wanted to add more of her to the story, so I did. We"re going to be seeing her more often, wether you like it or not. :P

I'm okay with this chapter, but it's not one of my favorites. Hope you guys like it better than I do!

Thank you all so much for your time and support! Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	16. Preparations

Author's Notes

Ugh, this chapter has been a headache and a half. First it wasn't ready in time, and then I forgot to answer the reviews. I'm really sorry that everything's been going wrong with the story. I just haven't been feeling it so far. But I do plan on changing that, I assure you.

So, for real this time: Reviews!

GiggiEba, Yay! *Looks over at Cynthia's character* Uh... _noooo_, she's _nooot_. He would be, although that is up to Sarah to decide. I'm sorry you did have to wait, but here it is!

ScarOfHerobrine, heh. I'm glad you liked it! She's a general, actually. Just be glad she didn't hear you get her rank wrong. :P

sOL-'-aLOne, it's alright, don't worry. I'm really sorry... I know you're the top one rooting for them to get back together. Thanks, I'm glad you liked them!

And for you other review on this chapter, ah, don't be like that. Yes, yes, don't worry, it'll happen soon. They're scattered all around the world. The one-shot I'm writing actually explains or hints at the reason why there have been no demons for years, and the reason angels aren't around is because they went into hiding.

Also, thank you sOL-'-aLOne for following and favoriting! It really made my day, and made me feel kinda guilty for messing up. Just hold on a while longer, because something very important happens only two chapters away.

I know I've been screwing things up everywhere, but I would really appreciate it if you chose to follow and favorite my story. Maybe review if you wish to.

Now, let's get on with the story!

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Eba's POV

There were only three people in line at the booth where you signed up for the tournament, which is understandable since it was the last day for signing up. We were behind a woman who looked thin from afar, but was abviously strong up close. The person in front of her was a buff-looking man, and I didn't manage to take a look at the third before he moved away. I didn't look too strong, but I probably was, right? I mean, I helped fight a demon... a-and a lot of mutant monsters... it had been a long time since I'd fought. Had I become rusty?

Annie nudged me forward, pulling me out of my thoughts to see that there was only one person left. I took a couple of steps forward and waited for my turn. The woman left after a few minutes, but the lady in the booth didn't call me forwards. She started rummaging through things under her little desk, and dread began climbing all over me. Were we too late? Was there a limit to how many people could participate? Was I not going to get in the tournament?

The attendant looked up with a raised eyebrow, proceeding to wave me forward. I blinked, hesitating, before walking up to the little window. "Just give me a second," the lady asked me. "Let me see if I can't find another form. I swore I had at least a couple more..."

"O-oh. Okay." I looked over my shoulder. Annie was trying to show Cynthia some of the defensive moves I'd taught her the other day. The young woman looked impressed, clapping a little after Annie finished her short presentation. I smiled, turning around after a moment. The lady was now searching through the other side of her booth. A few seconds passed, and then she exclaimed triumphantly.

"Found one!" She turned around and placed a sheet of paper and a pen on the wooden lip of the booth, sliding it towards me. "I'm going to need you to fill this out and then answer some questions."

I gave her a nod, picking the pen up and leaning against the little desk space with my elbows. It asked me for my name and last name, my parents' names, birth date, place of birth, where I lived, my age, my weapon of choice, and my preferred fighting style out of three offered; defensive, offensive, or other. I wrote down all my information, and then handed the paper back to the lady.

She took a quick look at the form and then put it away. "Your name is Eba Delgado?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Okay Eba," she went on, digging through her things again. "I'm going to ask you a few questions that you have to answer with total honesty."

I waited nervously, and then the lady sat back up with another sheet of paper. "First question: what is most important to you?"

"My family. And friends," I added quickly.

She gave me a nod, marking something on the sheet. "Second question: what would you do to clear the way if ten monsters blocked your path?"

I frowned. "I'd... attack them? I guess? I-If they're hostile. Or try to find a way around."

The lady added another mark. "Third question: how comfortable are you leading a team?"

"Um..." I tucked a strand of magenta (and purple now) behind my right ear. "I-I'll do It, but I'm not... really all that comfortable doing so..."

"Fourth question, we're almost done: what would you do if given two hundred gold coins?" she asked.

"I would keep twenty, and give the rest to my parents," I answered. They didn't need it, but I'd feel better knowing they can have an easier life.

The lady nodded, marked something else, and then looked up at me again. "Final question: do you believe every living thing deserves forgiveness, or a second chance?"

I gave her a firm nod. "Yes, I do."

She marked something else. "Even monsters? And demons?"

I blinked, surprised. How was I supposed to answer that? I mean... Ara's a monster, and she's nice. And Blight... but was it wrong for me to say yes? A demon with an army of monsters had killed so many people... am I supposed to...?

I took a deep breath. She said total honesty. "Yes, even monsters and demons."

The lady glanced at me quickly before turning back to her form and marking something else. Had I noticed something in her gaze? Was she disgusted by me now? Was that admiration? Was I just imagining it? She looked up after writing something down on the form and putting it away. "Thank you, you'll get a letter sent to the address you wrote announcing if you got in. But I'm sure you will, so, good luck in the tournament!"

She didn't seem too put off by me... and her good wishes seemed genuine. The doubt was killing me, so I asked. "What, um... how would you answer? The final question?"

The lady smiled at me. "Same as you. I'm a whisperer, so I do think monsters should be given second chances. As for demons... I'm not sure. Most people think they are just evil from the moment they spawn, but between us..."

I leaned forward so I could hear her whispering. "I don't think all demons are bad just because. Just don't tell anyone, or they'll think I'm crazy. Okay?"

I smiled at her. "I won't." She didn't hate me! Maybe it was admiration in her gaze. There were more people who thinked monsters and demons deserved a chance! I stepped away and waved at the lady. "Thank you. Have a good day!"

She nodded back. "You too!"

My friends turned around, smiling at me. "What did you need to do?" Annie asked.

"Fill out a form and then answer some questions," I answered, taking hers and Cynthia's hands in my own. "Let's go see my friend."

Annie gave me a nod, tagging along. Cynthia was looking down at my hand wrapped around hers as I pulled her behind me, apparently stunned. I smiled sheepishly, squeezing it a little and feeling my cheeks redden. The young woman smiled back, breaking out of her stupor and picking up speed. I hadn't thought about what it would mean to her to just grab her by the hand and pull her along. I had been too busy with how happy I felt knowing there were more people with my ideals. Maybe Annie and Cynthia would take a liking to Blight.

I wasn't really worried anyway. I was too happy to worry.

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"You should have told me we were walking this far when you invited me to the park," Cynthia muttered. "I would've brought more comfortable shoes instead of my boots."

"I didn't know either," Annie told her. "My feet are sore too."

I passed them by on my sneakers, looking at them over my shoudler. I couldn't help but smile. "It's not that far. A friend of mine walks this distance every day to go to work."

"That friend of yours probably wears something that won't shatter their heels every time they take a step. Besides, you have sneakers," Cynthia told me with a small frown that turned into a smirk. "But I guess it is worth it to see you feeling smug. You look very cute."

My cheeks reddened a little, but I didn't turn away. Instead, I took hold of the rim of my blouse. It was one of those that you tied up at the front, which typically showed off your bellybutton, and I didn't like that. But mine was a little too long, which stopped that from being a problem. I spread it like you would a fancy dress and twirled around, feeling my face turn red-hot. "Thank you..."

Cynthia laughed, and I earned a giggle from Annie. "Getting into the tournament really gave a boost to your confidence, didn't it?" my friend asked.

I shrugged. "I-I guess."

"That's good, means we did something right today at least," Cynthia said, trying to catch up to me. "How much further? My feet are killing me."

I hummed, taking a few long strides forward. The forest's edge was near, a couple of meters forward, and I could see Simon's house-mansion in the distance, standing in the middle of a huge clearing. "Not too far. Look."

My friends took a peek through the foliage, their eyes widening. "Your friend lives there?" Cynthia asked incredulously.

"Not by himself," I told her. "He lives with two other friends of ours- three, actually, plus their pet fox and a baby creeper."

Annie blinked. "Wh-... I have... a lot of questions, Eba."

"Me too," Cynthia added.

I wrung my hands together nervously. "L-let's go in, a-and I'll answer them there."

My friends exchanged looks, and then continued forward. I let out a quiet sigh of relief, following them through the forest and onto the large grassy clearing. We walked up to the house, and I stopped at the front door. I was a bit nervous, but I wasn't sure exactly why. Taking a deep breath, I raised my hand and knocked on the door. A few seconds passed, but nothing happened. Then the lock was turned, and Izabell stepped out.

She smiled at me, a little surprised. "Eba! You look so good!" She noticed my other friends, her smile wavering a tiny, almost imperceptible bit. "Come in, uh, guys."

Izabell stepped aside, gesturing to let us in. I stood next to the slime girl, nervously waiting for Annie and Cynthia's reactions. The young woman gave a nod to Izabell and extended a hand out. "Nice to meet you. I'm Cynthia."

The slime girl smiled, taking her hand. "Izabell. It's nice to meet you too."

"My name's Anne, but you can call me Annie if you want," my friend told her next, also stretching a hand out.

Izabell shook her hand too. "Hi, Anne. Welcome to... well, it's not really my house, but I live here, so..."

My friends nodded, taking the time to look around. "Who's house is it?" Cynthia asked.

"It's my boyfriend's," the slime girl answered. "Courtesy of the creeper king. We took part in the battle against... the demon, and his monster horde, and were rewarded very kindly."

Annie nodded, passing her hand over one of the soft couches in the living room. "Like Eba. She has a big apartment in Globe Chapel City. But I guess you know about that."

"Yeah," Izabell said with a nod. "We've visited her from time to time, but my boyfriend spends most of the day working in Malachite, so it's not very often or for very long."

I tapped her shoulder, leaning in close. "Where's Simon? And Ara and Flick and Snowdrift?"

"At work," she answered. "And those three are out playing in the woods."

I nodded, hesitating to ask. "And... Blight?"

The slime girl sighed. "He's fine, but it's kind of hard for me to get used to him being there. I keep forgetting, and he keeps butting in when I least expect it. But he himself is alright."

I couldn't help but smile a little. "He likes doing that. Is he... there?"

Izabell nodded tiredly. "Always." Grey flashed over her lime-green eyes, and then she blinked. "Uh, he says 'hi', and 'good to see you'."

My smile widened, but I stopped myself before answering. It might look weird to Annie and Cynthia, so introductions had to be made first. I walked up to them after gesturing to Izabell to wait a second. "Um... guys?"

They stopped their hushed conversation, turning to me curiously. I took another deep breath and gestured for them to follow. "I want you to meet my friend. Th-the one that's going to help me train."

Annie exchanged looks with Cynthia and then nodded. "Alright. Is he out of the house, or...?"

"Just... c-come with me," I mumbled, gesturing for Izabell to follow me too.

I stepped outside, and my friends followed. Izabell looked mildly distressed, waiting for me to explain what was going to happen. Annie and Cynthia looked confused, but chose to tag along. I pulled Izabell close to whisper in her ear. "Ask Blight if he can... step outside for a minute, when I ask."

The slime girl frowned at me. "Are you sure you want him to do that?"

I nodded, backing away so as to not overthink this. The moment I started doubting my actions was the moment I freaked out, and I really didnt need that now. I took a deep breath, turning back to my other friends. "Um... you have to promise that you won't tell anyone. A-and that you won't freak out. Please?"

Annie and Cynthia exchanged looks. "We won't," my friend assured me. "Don't worry. What, uh... are you going to show us?"

I gestured to Izabell. My hand was trembling. "Please tell him to come out."

She hesitated for a second, but then grey dust began pouring out of her chest. It trailed down her arms and dropped off her fingers, turning into a cloud to the right of her. A familiar face formed from the puff of rot-sand. I felt the need to hug him, but terror held me in place. My friends stared, open-mouthed, at the demon before them. Blight glanced at me with a neutral expression before giving them a short bow.

"Nice to meet you," he said pleasantly. "My name is Blight."

Annie blindly searched for Cynthia's hand, tightly gripping her arm and digging her nails in. The young woman hissed in pain, pulling her arm away and rubbing it. They turned back to Blight, and silence stretched on. My heart was pounding in my ears. What would they think? Were they scared of him? Had showing them been a bad idea? Why couldn't I just stop thinking? Why was my heart beating so fast? Did I really have to go on a date with Cynthia? Would she cancel it now that she knew of Blight? Why was this so nerve-wracking???

My friend cleared her throat, stiffly extending a hand. "Hi," she said, her voice cracking a bit. "I-I'm Anne."

"I'm Cynthia," the young woman said after a moment of hesitation. She kept her voice under control, but her hand trembled when she offered it.

The demon smiled, going over to shake their hands and hesitating. Izabell blinked, and then dug around her pockets, coming up with the pair of gloves Simon had given Blight. She handed him the gloves and the demon nodded in acknowledgment, putting them on and shaking hands with my friends one at a time.

"Sorry. I have to wear these gloves for... personal reasons," he explained. I wondered why he lied, but then realized that it would've made Annie and Cynthia freak out if he told them the real reason.

"It's fine," the young woman said. "Are you... a spirit?"

"A demon," Blight said with a nod. "But I'm not evil."

Annie frowned a little. "Um... is it rude to ask why?"

Blight shrugged. "Because of Eba."

My friends turned towards me. "What do you mean because of Eba?" Cynthia asked the demon.

"She freed me from a ravine deep underground by offering herself as a vessel for me," he answered.

"I... thought demons didn't keep promises," the young woman said cautiously.

"Most don't," Blight conceded. "But I'm different. I wasn't born a demon, I was turned into one after I died. I hated being one for decades until I sort of came to peace with the fact. And when Eba became my vessel, I chose to be more human than demon."

Annie and Cynthia turned to stare at me. I managed a nervous smile, taking a few steps forward. "Um... what do you think?" I asked slowly.

They stared at Blight again before their gazes switched to Izabell and then landed back on me. "Well... it's kind of... cool, I guess," my friend got out slowly. "But it's also... weird, that your friend has a demon..."

"Technically, I was Eba's demon first," Blight corrected. "But because she wanted to join the tournament, and felt it a bad idea to have me in her head during, Izabell offered to become my vessel temporarily."

Cynthia hadn't said anything yet. I swallowed, taking another step forward. "Cynthia?"

The young woman turned to look at me and sighed. "Well, it's... I don't know. It just is."

"Y-you're not... um..." I struggled to find a way to ask.

"Put off by it?" she finished, raising an eyebrow. "No, not really. Going to cancel our date? Definitely not. Curious about all of this? Very much so."

I got funny looks from Izabell and Blight, but was too relieved and yet nervous to care. "S-so you're okay with... knowing?"

"Yeah," Annie said with slight conviction. "Like I said it's weird, but... well, I guess it's okay."

"I don't really mind," Cynthia said. "It's just new, and surprising."

A little sigh escaped me, and I couldn't help but smile. My hands were still trembling. "Okay! Okay. Uh... well, Blight?" I turned to him. "We came here because we wanted to ask you if you could help me train for the tournament."

The demon blinked. "Of course. All three of you?"

"We want to help, if we can," Annie explained. "And we didn't want Eba to come here by herself."

Blight nodded. "Alright. How much do you remember about fighting?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. That's... why we came to get help from you."

"Right, you never remembered any of the theoretical aspects," he muttered. "We can spar to see how well you can defend yourself, and we'll go from there."

I gave him a nod and got into a stance before remembering something important. "Um... won't you end up hurting me now...?"

Blight frowned, and then blinked. "Right, yes, sorry."

Annie, Cynthia, and even Izabell looked confused. "What are you talking about?" Annie asked.

"Sparring is harmless when she's my vessel," the demon explained. "My demonic element is rot, and whomever is hosting me becomes immune to it, as well as my weapons. Since Izabell is currently my vessel, she is immune, but Eba isn't, and it would be very bad if I hurt her."

Cynthia frowned. "So... what do we do, then?"

Blight and I exchanged looks. "I suppose I could possess Eba until the tournament starts, to help her train," the demon suggested.

Izabell sighed, almost groaned actually. Blight turned to stare at me questioningly, as did my friends. I shrugged after a moment. "I-I guess we could do that. Until the tournament."

The demon nodded, walking up to me. "Please sit down." He looked at Izabell over his shoulder. "Both of you."

The slime girl knelt down and sat cross-legged on the grass, looking like she just swallowed something bitter. I sat down too, waiting for the painful but thankfully quick process. Blight's shadow turned into a cloud of dust, moving back to Izabell. Seconds, later, more dust began emanating from her forehead. The slime girl gritted her teeth and screwed her eyes shut, gripping the grass as if her life depended on it. The dust cloud finally left her, the poor girl panting with teardrops making their way down her cheeks.

I braced myself, closing my eyes. What felt like a flaming spear was slowly pushed through my skull, almost making me cry out. The pain suddenly faded seconds later, and I let out a series of deep, shuddering breaths. I wiped my own tears from my face, rubbing my right temple. But, despite the pain and headache, I felt... comfortable, with Blight's presence next to mine.

_Are you alright?_

_Yeah, I'm fine... you?_

_I'm fine too. It's nice to be together again._

_I think so too._

Cynthia kneeled down next to me, offering a hand. "That looked like it hurt."

"It does," Izabell complained, getting up with the help of Annie. "A lot."

"Yeah," I agreed, taking Cynthia's hand and rising. "But at least now we can spar safely."

Blight summoned a shadow, judging from the familiar and oddly comforting feeling of his rot-sand trailing down my arm. The demon appeared a short distance away, bending down to pick up his gloves. "Yes, we can. Could you all stand further away for this? Just in case."

Cynthia nodded, stepping a couple meters back. Izabell walked with Annie helping her out to stand next to the young woman. Blight tossed me his gloves, which I tucked into my sweatpants' pockets. My demon got into a fighting stance, summoning a curved scimitar. "Are you ready?"

Nodding, I got into my own stance, summoning my Needlepoint like I had many times before. I smiled, having missed the weapon. It felt so very right to hold it, for some reason. I waved it experimentally, not even needing a moment to get used to its weight. "I'm ready."

Blight rolled his shoulders, smiling a little. "Then let's spar."

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Simon's POV

I walked into the RD room, realizing it to be empty except for Tim. I waved, placing my blueprint's folder on the table. "Good morning. Where are Jones and Carla?"

The young man shrugged. "They came in yesterday and did a little work. They also promised to not come in today since you didn't yesterday and it looks like they meant it."

I blinked. "Andrews let them get away with that?"

"Yeah," Tim said with a shrug. "He's been busy with a lot of stuff. I guess he felt like it'd be a load off his back."

I nodded, staring at the stack of charts and papers on the table which my coworker was slumped over. "What work did they do?"

"They formally chose a new project," the young man informed me with a grimace. "We're working on more efficient engines for airships."

I couldn't help but blink again, even more shocked, shaking my head a bit as if that would make reality change for me. "What? Why? The airships are fine. We don't need more efficient engines if we're barely starting up a production line for them. It's a waste of time and resources."

Tim shrugged. "I know, but it's done. There are some... well, news, but I'm not sure if they're any good."

The young man stood up, walking over to a line of file drawers lining the wall. He wandered over to the very end, opening the bottom corner one, and taking out a small square maybe a quarter of a meter on every side, and about two inches thick. It was wrapped in dark cloth. Tim came back over to me, placing the slab on the desk and unwrapping it. The square looked to be glass with many pinpricks of red trapped within, some looking weirdly smudged.

I frowned at it. "What am I looking at, Tim?"

"Our last experiment," the man explained. "We left it cooling in the machine room and forgot about it. I came across it yesterday, and thought I should tell you." He pointed at the smudged dots.

I blinked at the slab. "It melted? The grains of redstone melted?"

Tim nodded. "Some of them, the smaller ones. The others didn't."

Excitement flared in every bone within my body. "This is great news, Tim! It means we can make a super alloy!"

The young man frowned. "How do you figure? This didn't happen with any of the metals."

"It doesn't have to work with the metals," I told him, passing my hand over the glass square. "We need to grind the redstone dust into finer grains and then melt it with sand. It might just allow energy to pass through, and if it doesn't, we can try to smelt metal into the glass somehow."

"So are we going to try again?" my coworker asked hopefully.

"We definitely are," I answered, walking over to the door. "Go get some redstone and sand samples from storage. I'll go start the machines."

Tim nodded, following me out and walking down the hall in the opposite direction I chose. I turned on the lights in the machine room, searching for and approaching the huge industrial grinder in the corner. I had never used the machine, but had seen some people turn gravel into sand with it. It's controls couldn't be anything difficult to figure out anyway. There were only three of them, actually; two dials and a switch. The dials were labeled 'grind power' and 'duration', the switch being for on and off.

I examined the rest of the machine, pulling open a trapdoor labeled 'large' and revealing many large metal teeth. There was another, smaller trapdoor next to it, labeled 'small', this one having four sharp blades within. I closed the bigger cap, turning around to wait for Tim. The young man walked in a couple minutes later, carrying two small boxes stacked on top of each other. My coworker placed the heavy-looking boxes on a work table, removing their lids and revealing sand and redstone dust inside.

I nodded at him, taking the box filled to the brim with bright red. "Do you know how to use the machine?" I asked Tim.

The young man shrugged. "Sort of. The thing is I don't know how long it would take to grind the redstone to fine enough grains."

I hummed at the grinder. "We should probably ask, but I'm sure it'll be fine if we guesstimate it."

Tim looked unsure, but I started pouring aggressively-colored dust into the machine anyway. "Five minutes should do it, right? How fast is the machine?"

"Very," my coworker answered. "Five might be too much. I think a minute and a half should be enough."

"Ah, alright. Go ahead then," I said, gesturing at the grinder once I had dumped all the redstone inside.

The young man nodded, closing the machine's lid and turning dials. Hideously loud whirring suddenly came from it once Tim had flipped the switch, taking a few steps back. After staring uselessly at the grinder for a moment, I chose to walk over to the smelter—something I knew how to use by heart—and began preparing it for our experimental purposes. The noise cut off abruptly, and Tim walked up to me seconds later with a metal tin with crimson dust.

I smiled excitedly. There were no redstone grains any bigger than the ones which remained unmelted within the other glass slab. "Great. Pour it in the smelter, I'll get the sand."

Tim nodded, pouring, essentially, redstone powder into the smelter's crucible. I brought the box of sand over and dumped its contents atop the pile of red, using a metal rod for this specific purpose to stir the different colored materials. The dust turned into a light orange mix. I pulled on a thick leather glove from the wall and pushed the tray carrying the smelting crucible back inside, pulling up the metal gate to seal it up. Heat emanated from the machine despite the many layers of insulation and metal.

I turned back to Tim. "Could you go bring gold and iron from storage? I'm sorry to be using you as a pack mule so much," I added as an afterthought, frowning bitterly. "I can go instead."

My coworker shook his head. "I'll go, it's fine. I don't know how to operate the smelter or how to know if anything is wrong with it, so I'd rather not run the risk of it blowing up in my face for any reason."

I huffed. "It'd be better if it blew up in my face, then?"

"You would probably know how to stop that from happening, which I don't," Tim explained.

"Alright, alright," I said, shaking my head and smiling a little.

The young man walked away, back down the hall. I stood there and stared at the smelter, letting it do its thing and cursing myself silently for forgetting to bring my folder. I had been working feverishly on a new aircraft design after yesterday's date with Z. A smile crawled onto my face at the memories. Tim came back minutes later, carrying two more small boxes under both his arms. He placed them on the table next to the empty ones and stood next to me.

"How long will this take?" Tim asked.

"It should be done in a few more seconds," I answered. "I'll shut it off and we'll let it cool."

My coworker nodded. Some more time passed, and I turned the crank to kill the smelter's flame, putting the big glove back on and pulling the tray out. A bright substance similar to lava greeted us, making Tim—unused to the sudden heat—lean away. I took a step back, asking the young man to give the machine more space. "It just needs to cool down now. We should probably go and at least pretend we're working on the 'official' project."

Tim nodded. "I have actually started work on that. We really need to make some progress on it."

I heaved a sigh, pushing down the need to work on my project sketches instead. "Alright, fine, let's go."

We walked back to the RD room, sitting down at the table. My blueprint folder lied temptingly near, like an itch I could clearly see but wasn't allowed to scratch. I forced myself to bury my thoughts among the charts and research papers Tim had brought out and written, making a list of possible materials we could use for the project. They had to be light, strong, useful, and most importantly, cheap. This part of the job was actually kind of fun, although I much preferred building our finished designs.

The very second I finished the first draft of the list, my hand went to my folder and pulled it close to me. I stared at my rouge appendage and item of temptation, shooting my focused coworker a glance before turning back to them. My willpower snapped like a twig, and I began flipping through my designs to find the one which craved to be finished. I pulled the page out, sharpening my pencil and resuming the job.

It was a silly idea, one I was sure had been thought of before, but I couldn't help myself. This design was like none of the airships I had drawn up before, didn't even count as one. It wouldn't need a balloon because its main propeller would be more than enough to get it airborne, and it would tilt in specific directions to avoid needing two more engines for turning. It would need a smaller one, due to the nature of its main engine, but that would hopefully not be a problem.

Even as I left work my head spun with ideas. I worried the design would be too heavy, its propellers too brittle, the engines too powerful or not powerful enough. Most of all, the look and weaponry. It would never in a million years be capable of lifting and firing a cannon, not to mention reload it, so I would need to design its weapons as well. I got home, taking off my jacket and smiling at the slime girl who sat on one of our couches, sleeping soundly.

I sat down next to her, taking hold of her hand and intertwining my fingers with hers. Izabell moved a little, but didn't wake. I pulled her close so she'd be leaning against me, wrapping my girlfriend in an embrace and closing my eyes. Only with her did my ideas and thoughts not haunt me. I drifted off, my dreams being only of the beautiful girl in my arms.

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Author's Notes

I am, again, sorry for the mess this chapter has been. And that I updated it in the middle of the night, and a day later. But I promise that I'll do better now. Maybe a fight scene in the next chapter would be more exciting, right?

Anywho, thank you all for your time, support, and patience. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	17. Dread, Care, And Excitememnt

Author's Notes

Okay, I have a very good explanation as to why this chapter's late. I had a biology project, which I finished at around four-thirty. Then I had lunch, and when six-thirty rolled around, I suddenly remembered that I had yet to even finish writing this chapter. But! There is good news!

We're having a two-week vacation to to a holiday where I'm from, which means I will (theoretically) have more time to write. Fingers crossed, this situation doesn't repeat itself next week.

Anywho, reviews!

GiggiEba, yay, he is! They most certainly are. Heh, I thought so too. I'm really glad you liked the chapter. It's alright, better late than never. Sorry I made you wait a little longer, but here's the next one!

sOL-'-aLOne, I know I already answered your review, but I have something important to tell you. I, 100%, for real, no joke, guarantee that a most-awaited event will happen next chapter. I'm pretty sure you know what I mean. :)

Anywho, let's get on with the story!

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Theridas' POV

I waited patiently, standing by a wall inside lady Anastasia's throne room. The blaze queen was having a hushed and apparently sombre conversation with one of the newly appointed royal messengers. With the nether-bound clans in such a brittle condition, having connections between every city available was cruicial. So all the monarchs had appointed these messengers to to keep comunication as swift and fluent as possible.

The queen gave a final nod, and her messenger bowed before stepping out of the room. Lady Anastasia sat down on her throne, staring at nothing. She looked distressed, with a subtle frown on her lips and worried eyes. I stepped closer, clasping my hands behind my back. "Milady? What's the matter?"

The blaze queen turned to me, heaving a sigh after a moment. "I don't know you if you've heard, Theridas, but there have been kidnappings recently. At least a dozen people have gone missing already."

I blinked in disbelief. "Kidnappings? Since when?"

"I'm not exactly sure," lady Anastasia answered grimly. "The investigation unit estimates that the first occurred about ten days ago. Three more were taken just yesterday, one of king Archinald's messengers among them."

Dread filled my bones. "Twelve?" The queen simply nodded. "What does the IU think is behind the disappearances? Monsters?"

"They think so," she told me. "But everyone is skeptical. Monsters don't tend to attack us for no reason. What's more, half of the kidnappings occurred within a city's walls. No creature that shares this realm with us could be coordinated enough to take people from their homes."

"And... what is being done about it? Do the people know?" I asked.

Lady Anastasia shook her had. "Not yet. I feel like we should gather more information before addressing our clan. It does nobody any good to frighten people if we can't assure them that it will all be fine."

I sighed, frowning thoughtfully. "You must address all the clans when the time comes," I told her. "Not just ours. This situation involves every nether-bound citizen."

The blaze queen nodded. "I will share this with the clans' peoples during one of our weekly meetings, once we're ready to answer any questions they might have. Of course, with permission from the other monarchs."

"Very well, milady," I said with a short bow, stepping back.

Lady Anastasia hummed, tapping one of her throne's armrests with a finger. "Theridas, I have something to ask of you."

I nodded, moving close once more. "Of course. What do you need, milady?"

"It's Kaitlin. Her teachers tell me that her grades have been... subpar at best," she began with a faint smile. "I was also told that you are now tutoring her. Correct?"

"I have been trying," I told her. "But yes. We began tutoring lessons two days ago."

"Has there been any progress yet?" The queen asked.

I frowned. "Minor thus far. But it's only been forty-eight hours. I'm more than confident that her grades will improve soon. In fact, I guarantee it."

Lady Anastasia smiled. "Just don't push her too hard. You know very well that she'll push back harder."

"I will bear that in mind," I said, smiling back.

The blaze queen nodded. "Have you planned a tutoring session for today?" she asked me.

"Yes, in approximately ten minutes," I answered. "During my lunch break. We will be sharpening her fighting skills, as per the princess' request."

"Really?" lady Anastasia asked. "I would be delighted to watch, if that is allowed."

"Of course, milady," I said with a nod. "You are welcome to see if you so wish."

"I do wish," the queen told me, getting up from her throne. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind beginning early today. I need to take my mind off... politics," she explained with a tired sigh.

I gave the blaze woman a bow. "Understandable, milady. Would you like me to accompany you to the courtyard before fetching the princess?"

"I'm not feeble quite yet, Theridas," lady Anastasia said with a smile, waving me away. "I will meet you both at the courtyard."

I nodded again. "We will be right there, milady."

Then I turned away, walking down the hallway towards princess Kaitlin's quarters. The young blaze woman was lying on her bed, quietly reading a book. I knocked on the doorframe, stepping inside and giving her a bow. "Good afternoon, princess."

Kaitlin put down her book, sitting up in surprise. "Hi, Theridas. What is it?"

"Your mother wants to see you practice your fighting skills," I explained. "She has also requested we start our tutoring session early."

The princess blinked, her mouth tilting in a smile. "Really? Okay! Um... do you know how to fight?" she asked, looking me up and down. "You've been more of a babysitter to me rather than a soldier."

I smiled, shrugging. "I learned a little from our stay in the overworld. Besides, I did survive the war, didn't I?"

Kaitlin brightened again. "I guess that's good enough. Let's go!"

The princess hopped off her bed, running to her closet and picking out clothes she would feel comfortable fighting in. I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me to give her some privacy. The young blaze woman stepped out a minute later, wearing a white t-shirt and sweatpants. Her red-orange hair was tied in a neat ponytail. "I'm ready. Come on, mom's waiting!"

I followed the excited girl with a smile down the many corridors of the nether fortress. Her attitude was refreshing after the sombre mood from earlier today. I just wished it was enough to banish the dreadful things in my head. People had disappeared in the safety of their homes. A thought chilled me to my core. And if lady Anastasia vanished? Princess Kaitlin? Ella? I took a deep breath, hoping to calm down. It worked somewhat. But I was sure that tonight I was going to have nightmares.

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Simon's POV

I walked up the stairs and down the hall, stepping into mine and Izabell's room with a tray holding a glass of water and chicken soup. The slime girl smiled at me, blowing her nose and sitting up. Ara had told me she'd complained about headaches yesterday, and she had woken up this morning feeling terrible. Thankfully, I had today off, and was able to stick around and nurse her back to health.

I sat down at the edge of our bed, placing the tray on her lap. "Do you feel alright, as far as that spectrum goes?"

The slime girl sniffled. "I guess. I don't feel too si-... si-..." Izabell snapped her head to the left, sneezing away from me. "Oh, lords... I've been worse, is what I mean," she told me with a miserable smile.

I placed my hand on her cheek, rubbing circles on it with my finger. My girlfriend took hold of it, leaning into my touch, her smile widening. "Thank you for being here with me," she whispered.

"Of course," I told her, smiling back. "You cared for me when I was sick. I want to return the favor."

Izabell closed her eyes. "I just need rest. I'll be fine by tomorrow, I'm sure. Just don't let Snowdrift inside. And please don't sleep in here with me."

I feigned a pout. "Fine. I'll sleep in another room, cold and alone."

The slime girl shook her head. "It's better than sick and miserable. Leave, or you'll get sick too."

I got up, tucking a strand of dark-brown hair behind one of her ears. "If you insist. Get better soon, okay? Is there anything else I can get you?"

Izabell opened her mouth, a coughing fit interrupting her. "An immunity boost tonic, she croaked. "Do you know how to make one?"

I shook my head. "Think you could write down a recipe for me?"

The slime girl sniffled and gave me a nod. "Do you have something to write with?"

I walked over to my desk and took out a small notebook as well as a pencil, giving both to my sick girlfriend. She thanked me quietly, licking her dry lips and writing a short series of instructions. They were a bit difficult to read, but otherwise clear. Izabell smiled, handing the items back to me. "Here you go. It'll help me shrug this off easier."

I nodded, tucking the notebook into my pocket. "Alright. I'll be right back."

The slime girl hummed in agreement, turning to the tray I had set on her lap and sipping a spoonful of the warm broth. She smiled, clearly enjoying the soup, and took another sip.

Smiling a little, I turned around and walked back the way I'd come. I brought out the notebook once I was down the stairs, reading the recipe. We had a brewing stand in our stash of old stuff, so I was covered on that front. "Netherwart, three sweetberries, forty grams of blaze powder, and ginger root..." I murmured aloud. We only had the berries here, so I'd have to go out to buy everything else.

I scanned the bottom floor for Ara, noticing her out the kitchen window. I walked over to the door and slipped into my jacket, heading outside and towards my creeper friend. The monster was playing with Snowdrift and Flicker, smiling as much as she was physically able to. The sigh made me smile in turn as I neared the happy bunch. "Hey, Ara?" I called.

The creeper looked up. "Hello, Sssimon. Isss Isssabell feeling better now?"

"She's getting there," I answered, stopping next to her. I knelt down to pet Snowdrift, who leaned up to nuzzle my cheek. I scratched his chin and straightened up. "I'm going out shopping to get stuff for a tonic she says will help. Do you want to come with me?"

The creeper blinked. "I would like to, but..." She stared at the two small shapes fondly. "They tend to get into trouble if nobody isss watching them. I shhould probably ssstay behind."

I frowned a little. "You're stuck in the house every day. Come on, you need a change of scenery. I'm sure these fellas will be alright on their own, won't you?" I asked the baby creeper and snow fox.

Snowdrift sat down, tilting his head at me. Flicker turned from him, to Ara, then me, and sat down too. I smiled, petting both their heads. "See? They'll be well behaved. Plus it'll only take a few minutes. I just need to get to a pharmacy to buy everything."

Ara sighed, the sound more like a drawn-out, tired hiss. "Okay, I'll go," she said, a smile coming back to her. "But if theesss two make a messs, it will be your fault."

I gave her a nod, gesturing for the three of them to follow. "Yeah, I know, but they won't make a mess, right?"

Snowdrift shook an ear, which usually meant 'alright' or 'I don't care'. We dropped the little ones off at the house, and I made sure to tell Z where we were going before locking her door so the snow fox and baby creeper wouldn't bother her. I took Ara's hat from the coat hanger, a gift from Val, and put it atop my friend's head. It was light brown, with a blue ribbon around it and a cloth flower sown onto the left front side. The creeper smiled, waiting for me to open the door.

I locked the door behind us and we began the walk through the woods and to Globe Chapel City. We were silent most of the way, as the creepers we both are. My footsteps barely made a sound on the leaf-littered floor, but hers were completely inaudible. The sounds of the forest were the only things accompanying us; birds chirping and singing, rustling leaves and underbrush, as well as the gentle wind occasionally throwing a breeze our way.

It took us maybe ten minutes to reach the city's outskirts. A lot of people gave my friend worried and distrustful looks. I got some of them too, but I didn't mind. Ara sneaked glances at everybody, lowering her head. I nudged her. "Hey, it's alright. You don't need to hide because you're a monster."

The creeper looked at me and smiled. She was still tense, but was at least making an effort to hide it. "It'sss the ssstaresss," she mumbled after a moment. "They make me nervoussss."

I sighed, tucking my hands in my pockets. "I know. Thank you for agreeing to come with me. That was very brave."

Ara smiled again, but didn't say anything. The pharmacy we were regulars at already knew of my monster friend, and actually took very kindly to her. The creeper visibly relaxed at my side once we entered the store. I smiled and walked up to the counter, where the shopkeep was muttering to himself over a series of papers. "Good morning, sir."

The elderly man looked up, smiling at us. "Morning Simon, Ara. How have you been? No illness, I hope?"

"Actually, yeah," I told him with a nod. "Izabell's caught a cold, and we need some things for a tonic."

Mr Ross hummed. "I'm sorry to hear that. But she's plenty strong, so I'm sure it'll blow over soon. What do you need?"

I searched my pockets and came up with the notebook, handing it to the man. "All of this. I have a brewing stand, I just need the materials."

"Alright," mr. Ross said after reading the list. "Let me fetch this for you."

He stepped away from the counter, searching through his shelves of pharmaceuticals. The shopkeep came back with a couple of small glass bottles and one metal bottle, all of them labeled. Blaze powder was kept in metal containers due to it being pretty dangerous if handled incorrectly. "And you, Ara?" he asked, stretching up to search the tallest shelves. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine," my creeper answered, smiling. "The little onesss haven't given me too much trouble. Sssimon asssked me to come with him today ssso I would leave the houssse, though I like it there."

Mr Ross chuckled. "He's right. Leaving the house every once in a while at the very least is healthy for you. But I'm glad you did. You are very brave to enter the city despite its people's fear of you."

"I've been told," the creeper says, turning to me. I smiled back.

The shopkeep came back, placing a final jar on the counter. "We have twenty grams of fresh sweetberries, twenty grams of netherrwart, eighty grams of blaze powder, and twenth grams of ginger root."

I frowned at the metal container. "The recipe only asks for forty grams."

The elderly man smiles. "I know, but you're going to need something to light the brewing stand with. Don't worry, I'm giving it to you free of charge."

I blinked and shook my head. "I can't accept it for free, sir. I have enough money, so it's alright. I'll pay for it."

Mr. Ross waved me away. "You're my friends. You won't accept it for free, then fine, but I won't accept more than half the price for it either."

I sighed, rummaging through my pockets. "How much would it be for everything?"

The man took a few seconds to count the price for all the materials. "Fifty-six silver coins," he answered after a moment."

I nodded, taking one of the larger silver coins out as well as a few small ones, handing them to mr. Ross. "Thank you, sir. Have a good day."

The elderly man smiled. "You too. Tell Izabell that I hope she gets better soon."

"I will. Goodbye!" I said with a wave, heading to the door.

"Goodbye, mr Rosss," my creeper friend said with a small nod.

"It was good to see you, Ara," the man said kindly. "Take care."

The monster smiled back and proceeded to follow me out the door. The way back out of the city was easier for her, as most people had already noticed my friend and would either hide in their homes or ignore us entirely. But she only relaxed entirely once we had walked into the woods and were free of any and all stares.

"Did you like the trip, at least somewhat?" I asked her. "I know how stressful it is for you."

Ara smiled. "Yesss, it wasss naiss to sssee mr Rosss again."

I let out a relieved sigh. "That's good. I felt kind of guilty having you go through that."

We walked the rest of the way in silence. It took me a minute to decipher Z's handwriting enough to read the recipe, but I eventually managed to brew the tonic she'd asked for. It was a strange orangey-green shade, and smelled almost spicy. I brought the vial, and a glass of water, up to our room. It took me a minute to figure out how I would unlock the door with both hands occupied.

I placed the glass on the floor and used my now-free hand to open the door, picking the glass back up and stepping inside. Izabell cracked open an eye, smiling tiredly at me. I smiled back, placing the water on the bedside table and holding the vial out to her. "It took a while, but I got your tonic."

The slime girl sat up, taking the offering. "Thank you." She drank the contents quickly, grimacing afterwards. I chuckled, taking the vial from her in exchange for the glass of water. Izabell shuddered, drinking the water gratefully. "It's really bitter," she muttered once she was done.

I smiled, taking the empty glass and placing it on the table. "I figured. How are you doing now?"

Izabell sniffled, laying back down and closing her eyes. "I'm just tired. Could you get me a cold towel for my head?"

"Of course. I'll be right back," I said, walking out of the room and closing the door behind me. I took a clean hand towel from the bathroom, soaking it in cold water and squeezing the excess out, bringing it back to my sick girlfriend. I knocked on the door, but then I realized that she had actually fallen asleep in the minutes I'd been gone. A fond smile escaped me, and I walked over to her bedside. I sat at the edge of the bed, gently placing the cloth over her forehead.

The slime girl moved but didn't wake. I cupped her cheek with a hand, rubbing circles on it with my thumb. She seemed to feel it, on some subconscious level, a tiny smile crawling onto her face. I sighed, getting up and leaving the room, silently hoping for her to get better soon.

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Eba's POV (4 days later)

Annie was at my door this morning, which really confused me. She was all excited too, making me more confused. I only understood half of what she said, with how fast she was talking. Then she dropped one sentence which made me freeze.

"...can do that later, though," she said with a careless wave. "Are you excited for your date?"

I blinked at her, processing her words with difficulty. "My..." then it clicked. Today was Tuesday! I did have a date! "Oh, lords! I totally forgot!" I told her, covering my mouth with my hands.

My friend's eyebrows rose. "You forgot? How?"

"I-I-I don't know," I mumbled. "I guess because I was so occupied with training that it slipped my mind..."

Annie rolled her eyes, smiling at me. "Well, it's fine. Your date doesn't start until after you're done with work, right?"

I gave her a nod. "Yes, around two. He said he'd be waiting for me outside..."

My friend hummed, taking my hand and leading me to my bedroom. She opened my closet, looking through the clothes inside. "Right, so, here's what you'll do. You need to take a bag or a purse with the clothes you're gonna wear to your date so you can change after your shift is over, okay? Comb your hair a little, put on some perfume and everything."

I frowned a little, rubbing my left arm with a hand. "Okay?"

Annie pulled out my white tank-top and purple plaid button-up, which were on the same hanger. She also took the comfy jeans out, showing everything to me. "Do you want to take these? Or which ones?"

"Um... yeah, they're fine," I answered, now feeling nervous. She was taking this very seriously.

My friend nodded, taking my pink sneakers from where they sat. She also brought out a pair of socks, dropping the items at my feet. "You gotta get ready for work! Hurry!"

I blinked, looking down at myself. I was still wearing my pajamas, barefoot on the walk-in closet's carpeted floor. My hair was probably a mess. Would I even be able to talk with Gabe? What if I said something weird? Should I even go? Would he feel bad if I don't?

_Breathe_, a sleepy voice in my head told me.

It took me a minute to realize that it was Blight. I did as he said, taking many deep breaths to calm myself down. _Thank you_... I 'mumbled' at him. My demon only hummed tiredly. I turned back to Annie, who was waiting patiently for once. "Um... maybe give me space to change?"

My friend blinked before moving out of my way and standing outside of the closet. "Yeah, sorry. I'll wait out here," she said, gently closing the door.

I flicked on the lights, changing out of my comfy sleeping clothes and putting on a simple violet tee and jeans. I slipped on the pink socks Annie had picked out for me, quickly stepping into my sneakers and picking up the extra set of clothes. I opened the closet door and turned off the lights behind me, walking up to my friend.

"I'm going to fix myself up in the bathroom," I told her, gently placing the clothes in her arms. "Could you hold this for me?"

Annie smiled. "Sure. Where's your purse? So I can put this and some other stuff in there."

I frowned, taking a moment to think. _Kitchen_, Blight mumbled.

I smiled sheepishly. "I left it in the kitchen." _Thanks again_, I told my demon.

My friend gave me a nod, turning around and walking to the kitchen. I set off towards the bathroom, staring at myself in the mirror. My hair framed my face wildly, but it was thankfully not all over the place like I feared. I brushed my teeth and then combed my hair into place, smiling at the wavy strands. It had taken a while for me to get used to it, and a lot of compliments from my friends and demon, but I finally came to like how it looked. I felt... pretty.

I took another deep breath, trying to smile at myself in the mirror. My left hand went to my right arm, rubbing it. I don't know when I developed this nervous tick, but I did it a lot nowadays.

_Don't worry_, my demon told me. He still sounded drowsy, but was at least more awake now. _Everything will turn out fine_.

_Are you sure?_ I asked him, my makeshift smile slowly drooping. _What if he's not there? Maybe he didn't mean it, or he forgot. And if he didn't? What would we talk about? A-and if I stuttered? O-or said something dumb?_

_Eba, slow down_, Blight said gently. _Breathe. None of that will happen, I'm sure of it. You will be alright._

My left hand went cold numb, moving back to rest at my side without my telling it to. I stared at myself again, and then took a deep breath. The smile I formulated afterwards was genuine. _You're right. It'll be okay._

_Yes it will_, my demon assured me. _Go on, your shift starts in ten minutes._

I nodded at him—or rather, myself—and left the bathroom. Annie was standing st the door, looking out the window on the opposite side of my apartment. She smiled at me, holding out my overstuffed-looking purse.

"It took me a while, but I managed to fit it all in there," she told me. "I packed you a comb, a small bottle of perfume, your change of clothes, and some nail polish. I'm pretty sure you don't have perfume or the polish, so I lent you some of my own."

I smiled at my friend, taking the purse. "Thank you. But I don't really like nail polish," I told her apologetically.

My friend shrugged. "Just take it. You might change your mind."

I gave her a nod, slinging the purse strap over my shoulder. "Okay... wish me luck," I asked nervously.

Annie smiles, giving me a quick hug. "Don't worry, you won't need it. I'll leave after you do. Go to work!"

I giggled. "Okay, thanks!"

Then I warped, now standing in the grocery store's break room. A coworker was there, reading a newspaper and absently eating a chocolate bar. I walked up to the notebook and pen that were hung up on a wall, with everyone's attendance written down. I marked a check next to my own name for today, turning around and slipping my apron on. I hung up my purse on the same hook, taking a deep breath. I was still nervous, but now I also felt excited. I was going to go on an actual date soon! It was pretty scary...

My demon heaved a sigh as I walked out of the break room, waiting for a coworker to leave their station so I could relieve them. _I forgot how much I hated this place._

I smiled, noticing that somebody had taken their apron off and was walking towards me. _Don't be like that. It's only for a few hours._

Blight huffed in annoyance, making me giggle. I walked up to the free checkout lane, getting ready with my notebook. It was only eight in the morning. Only six more hours until my date with Gabe. Nervousness crawled back to me, but it was beaten by a sudden realization. Now I agreed with my demon. A few hours really did seem like an eternity...

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My fingers rapped against the wooden surface of the checkout area as I stared at the clock. I felt infinitely nervous, and excited. My shift would be over in mere minutes, but I didn't feel ready at all. What if I forgot something back home? A-and if I tripped o-or made a fool of myself? What if something went wrong?

_What could possibly go wrong? my demon asked gently. Anne packed what you need in your purse. And I promise that you will not make a fool of yourself._

I took a deep breath. _You're right... I'm just nervous..._

Blight 'smiled.' _I know, don't worry. I'm here for you._

His words made me smile faintly. _Thank you._

I charged one last customer for his items, and sneaked a glance at the clock. The second I did, its small hand moved over to the number two. Excitement flooded my veins, and I began cleaning up my area as quickly as possible. I practically ran into the break room, pulling my apron off and swapping it for my purse on its hook. Blight chuckled in my head, asking me to slow down. I felt myself blush as I stopped and took a couple more deep breaths.

_You're right_, I told him, carefully taking my neatly-folded clothes out of my purse. _I don't want to seem crazy..._

_You won't. It's alright to feel excited_, my demon said. _Just take it easy._

I will, I assured him, stepping into the employee's bathroom to change. I took the opportunity to comb my hair and, after a heavily-considered decision, I sprayed a little perfume on myself. I straightened my button-up, which I closed all but two buttons of. I left it untucked, not really liking how baggy it felt that way. I clasped my hands together, staring at myself in the mirror. This would be the first date I have ever been on.

_Let's go, Eba_, Blight told me. _Your date is waiting_.

I snapped out of whatever held me in place, slinging my purse on and leaving the bathroom. I checked out on the notebook hanging from the wall and stepped out of the break room, heading out the grocery store's front doors. There were a few people walking about, but none I recognized. Then I saw a familiar head of curly hair. Gabe walked up to the store, smiling as soon as he noticed me.

I smiled back and met him halfway, unable to keep from hugging myself. "Hi. How, uh, how've you been?"

The young man shrugged. "I've been alright. And you?"

I nodded. "Me too. A little busy."

"Thankfully not too busy," Gabe said with a smile, holding out a hand. "So, should we go get coffee?"

I took his hand, feeling my cheeks redden a little at the touch. "Mhm. Where do you want to go?"

He hummed, leading me back the way he came. "I saw a few places nearby we could check out. I've never been in this part of the city before, so it'd be an excuse to explore."

"I haven't wandered around here either," I told him. "We'd be exploring together."

Gabe smiled. "Then it'll be twice as fun."

I smiled back, following him. Blight seemed to lean back and close his eyes. _I'm going to leave you to yourselves_, he murmured. _Izabell's told me it's 'rude' to interrupt a couple._

A blush tinged my cheeks. _W-we're not a couple yet... could you stick around? I-in case I need help with anything._

My demon huffed good-humoredly._I can't exactly leave at the moment. Of course I'll stay_.

_Thank you_, I said, suppressing a sigh. I wasn't sure if I'd ever muster up the courage to go along with this without him. And I was very very glad to once again have my demon at my side.

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Author's Notes

I wasn't planning on it, but I had to split the 'Eba's date' scene in half. Otherwise the chapter would be too long and I'd take another hour to post it. But otherwise, I think the chapter turned out great. Better than the most recent chapters, in my opinion.

I don't really know what else to add here, and I'm kind of in a hurry, so...

Thank you so much for you time, patience, and support. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	18. Sweet Reunions

Author's Notes

I... hadn't realized the importance of the traffic graphs before I took a serious look at them. I was honestly thinking that KOS was doing terrible. My self-esteem in regards to it was pretty low. But now...

100 views every month. I know it's not much compared to other stories, but it means the world to me. What's better is that it seems to be steadily climbing its way up, with at least ten more views than the previous month. I also took a peek at KOW's stats, and I was really proud to find that 400 people had seen my story last month alone.

The realization really just... skyrocketed my spirits. And it made my day to see that you guys are actually enjoying the content I'm making. Thank you. :D

Anywho, Review! (Cuz it's only one)

GiggiEba, heh I'm glad you think so! Yes, having Blight again so suddenly took her some getting used to :P Thanks for the support!

Also, thank you yorukakusaku for following and favoriting my story! It means a lot to me that you like what I've written.

And now, on with the story!

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Eba's POV

We sat at a table just outside a small café, steaming mugs in front of us. Mine was filled with hot chocolate, and his with coffee. It was a pretty little place, and not as crowded as most of the city, which was great. The barista behind the counter was really nice, too. Gabe and I hadn't talked much yet, other than about where we'd go to sit down. He pulled out a chair for me, which I gratefully took.

"How was work today?" Gabe asked me as he plopped down onto his own seat.

"It was dull, as always," I answered with a smile. "Thankfully no rude customers this time. And you? What do you do for a living?"

"I am studying for an engineering career, have a part-time job at the public library, and am scraping by with the help of an allowance my parents give me," he said, chuckling a little.

I blinked. "Oh. Really?"

Gabe shrugged. "Yeah, but it's fine. I'm not starving and I have a roof over my head, so no problem. How long have you lived here?"

"Um... about seven months," I answered after a moment. "I... was a pilot for one of the airships during the... the war. So lady Cassidy gave me a place in the Saphire apartment complex."

The boy's eyes widened. "Are you serious? That's amazing. I didn't quite take you for a fighter."

I shrugged, turning away in embarrassment. "I didn't do that much fighting," I mumbled. "But I guess I'm kind of good at it."

"I volunteered as a soldier to help the people inside Veridon," Gabe told me. "Me and the others who did got rewarded, y'know, financially, but it was nowhere near as grand a gesture compared to what you got."

"Well..." I frowned. Should I tell him? What would he think? "I was... part of the group that ended the war," I whispered. "I helped kill the demon."

Gabe blinked incredulously. "No way. You killed a demon?"

"I only helped," I mumbled. "One of my friends killed him with a special enchanted sword. But... not before he killed another friend."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," he said quietly.

"It's fine," I mumbled, suddenly sad as memories of our little gang came back to me. I wished that we all still lived under one roof sometimes.

"Let's change the subject, alright?" Gabe suggested. "What's... your favorite food?"

I smiled, thankful for the change. "Um... mutton chops. I like anything with mutton chops, really," I answered, a little embarrassed. "And you?"

The boy shrugged. "I like seafood. Salted cod is my favorite, practically bathed in lemon," he added with a dramatic wave of his hand.

I giggled a little. "I don't really like fish. I always hurt myself with the spines."

"That's part of the fun," Gade said with a smile. "Trying to avoid getting stabbed from the inside by your food."

I shook my head. "No thank you. I'd rather have anything else."

He chuckled. "Alright. So... favorite color?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. The boy only shrugged, so I had to shoot pointed glances at my bangs of dyed hair and violet blouse for him to catch on. I giggled at his look of realization. Gabe his his face in shame, laughing along. "Ah, sorry, kind of a stupid question, I realize now."

"It's fine, don't worry," I said laughingly. "But yeah, I like any shade of purple and pink. What's your favorite color?"

"Uh, I like... greens and blues," he said, lifting his head again. "Not specifically together, but still. How's your chocolate?"

I nodded, taking a sip from my mug. I hummed in surprise, putting it down. "It's good!" I explained, drinking a little more. "Still a little hot, but really good."

"That's great," he said, drinking from his coffee. "This isn't too bad either," he said, lowering his mug. "But it's still coffee, so it tastes awful."

I giggled, making sure to put my chocolate down before I made a mess. "I don't know why people like coffee if it's so bitter."

"Me neither," Gabe said with a shrug. "I guess it's almost like a crutch to them at this point, y'know? For waking up in the morning."

I hummed. "Maybe. That's the only reason I ever drink it, when I'm having trouble getting up."

"Yeah, or when you want to stay up," he added, frowning at his mug. "Maybe I should've gotten chocolate too."

"You should've," I agreed with a smile, sipping more of the sweet, warm drink.

Gabe nodded, thinking for a moment. "What are your hobbies? Do you have any?"

"Mmm... I like woodcarving," I answered. "And drawing."

"That sounds cool," he said. "The woodcarving."

"It's pretty fun," I told him with a nod. "What do you like to do?"

"I like reading, especially history," Gabe said. "Most people find it boring, but I like learning about the way people did things before us."

"That does sound kind of interesting," I murmured, drinking more chocolate.

We talked some more, eventually moving on from the café to sort of just wander the streets together. We walked past a group of people who were practicing battle moves using wooden swords and other things.

We stopped to watch them for a moment. "There's been a lot of that going on recently," Gabe told me after a moment.

"Really?" I asked, turning to him. "Why?"

"Have you heard of the tournament lady Cassidy's hosting?" he asked me back.

I nodded, connecting the dots. "Oh. That's why?"

"It is. People are training like mad to try and win the tournament," Gabe explained. "Which, I mean, is understandable because you get to be the next king or queen of the endermen."

I hummed, knowing full well that I was training hard too. "Did you sign up for the tournament?"

The boy stared at me for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. I figured that I didn't really lose much for trying, and that if I won I could try to make life better for my family. And, y'know, the rest of the endermen. And you?"

I shrugged a little. "Me too. I'm not really sure if I even want to be queen, but my friends said I'd be great at it, so I signed up."

Gabe nodded. "I'm sure you would be." He offered a hand, smiling. "May the best of us all win."

I smiled back, shaking it. "May the best win."

We stood there a moment longer, not knowing what to say anymore. There was something I felt like I had to get off my chest before he got the wrong impression, but I wasn't sure how he'd feel. Blight's calming presence made itself more pronounced, soothing me a little bit. "Um... Gabe?" I began nervously.

"Yeah?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I... well, I had fun, and I like you, but..." I swallowed, looking down at the ground. "I don't... like-like you..."

The boy smiled after a moment. "That's alright. I think you're pretty great, but I could kind of tell that you didn't feel that way about me."

"N-no, I-I think you're great too," I assured him, feeling really guilty. "I just... rather we stayed as friends."

"Of course we can be friends," Gabe agreed with a nod. "Maybe hang out again sometime."

I smiled, glad that he was taking it well. "I'd like that. And thanks for today."

He shrugged. "No problem. Are you going to warp home or do you want me to go with you?"

I frowned. "Um... I think I'll warp. My apartment is pretty far away. And you?"

"I'm gonna walk," he answered. "I live maybe twenty minutes from here, so it's no problem."

"Oh. Then I'll walk with you," I offered. "If that's okay."

"Sure," Gabe said with a smile. "Follow me."

We talked a little more on the way to his apartment, and then said our goodbyes. I warped home, feeling pretty happy.

_It seems your date went well_, Blight commented.

_Yeah, I think so. It was very fun. _

_But you're not a couple? _my demon asked curiously.

I sighed, guilt pricking at me again. _Yeah. I like Gabe, but not as... a boyfriend._

Blight hummed. _Fair enough. Is there anything else you planned on doing?_

I frowned thoughtfully. _No. Why?_

_I figured we might spend the rest of the day training_, he explained. _It seems to me that the tournament will in no way be easy_.

_Oh. Yeah, I think we should_, I agreed. _Are we going to go to the forest again?_

_Unless you want to ruin your apartment, I think it's best_, Blight said with a smile.

My cheeks reddened. I felt pretty silly. _Right. Let's go, then._

I warped us to the small grove I had been using to train on my own. My demon summoned a shadow stretching almost dramatically. I suppressed a giggle, knowing how much he hated being cooped up.

"Alright," he said after a minute, getting into a battle stance with scimitars in both hands. "Are you ready?"

I took up my own stance, summoning my Needlepoint. "I'm ready."

Blight nodded. "Then let's begin."

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Thomas' POV

It was hard to sleep on a rickety ship like ours. It had rained during our journey, more than a couple times, and it seemed that had affected something in the _Dragoon_. The rear propellers were fine, mostly, but the main one was causing trouble. It was whirring in a way it hadn't before, and that worried us both. For safety's sake, I brought us as low to the ground as possible. That meant, however, that the bottom of the ship scraped against some of the tallest trees. I really hoped Simon wouldn't be around to see how badly I'd commandeered the airship.

Apart from the technical difficulties and the fact that some of the deck would need replacing, the journey was pretty tame. Javer had tried brewing onboard the ship, and it had worked most of the time. A couple potions and bottles shattered on the floor, but nothing else happened. We had stocked our food and water supplies well, so we were good there. The trip was nerve-wracking but otherwise boring, to be honest. Until we reached the plains.

Leaving the helm, I went over to stand next to my friend, who was staring out at the green expanse before us. Right there, at most twenty minutes away, was a city protected by stone. I recognized the wall, and the castle at the center. I couldn't believe that, after so long, I was finally going to see her again. "We're here," I murmured.

Javer hummed. "The healer was right. It's impressive, but it's not all that pretty."

I smiled, shaking my head and walking back to the wheel. "It's not what we're used to, but thousands of mobs call it home."

"I wonder why," the alchemist-in-training said, turning to me. "There's barely any grass or trees in there."

"It's safe," I explained with a shrug, pulling a lever down slowly. The airship slowly sank in the air, to the point where we were at most a couple meters off the ground. "Much safer than the village. And the people seem to just get used to the lack of nature."

Javer huffed. "I'm glad I'm not moving here."

Moving specks became visible as we neared the wall. I guessed it was soldiers, and was proven right minutes later. "Do you see the soldiers on the wall?"

My friend nodded. "Are they going to be an issue?"

"I don't think so," I answered. "Wave at them. To make sure they've seen us."

Javer frowned but waved anyway. One of the soldiers atop the wall waved back, and he was subsequently slapped in the back of the head by a man wearing a familiar set of armor. They, and a couple others, rushed down to the floor while the rest stood watching the airship we rode on. I slowed the _Dragoon_ to a stop about ten meters from the wall, and walked to peek over the railing.

Now that I was close, I finally recognized the soldier who waved and the man who'd hit him. It was general Anderson and private Church. Their eyes, and those of their patrol, widened as they saw me. The general exchanged words with some of his troops, which nodded and rushed back in through the wall's entrance. I stepped away from the railing, turning back to Javer. My friend shrugged, peeking at the soldiers again.

"They seem a little tense," he commented, backing up out of their view range.

"How did you feel when you found me lying on the forest floor?" I asked him, dropping the _Dragoon__'s_ rope ladder.

The alchemist-in-training hummed. "I was kind of expecting it, though. But I guess your right."

I shook my head, beginning the climb down. Soldiers met me at the bottom, spears in hand but not aimed at me. Anderson walked closer, looking me up and down. "You died," he commented with a neutral expression.

"I did," I agreed with a nod. "But you know that I am a spirit, of sorts, and due to that can come back to life."

The general hummed, turning to look at Javer as he hopped off the ladder at the bottom. "State your business in the city of Veridon."

I suppressed a sigh. "My friend," I began, gesturing to the alchemist-in-training, "helped me get my memory back after I died. I want to see king Jack, and the rest of my friends, if they still live here."

Anderson stared at me, still wearing that poker face. "We'll take you to the king," he said after a minute. "Follow me."

"Thank you, sir," I said, giving him a short bow.

He turned around, walking through the wall's entrance. "Church, bring up the rear."

The private gave a salute, the gesture going unnoticed. He waited until we, and the other two soldiers passed by, following our small group. Passing under the wall was just as intimidating as it had been last time. It was easy to imagine those tons upon tons of stone dropping on your head. Thankfully, though, it had been built sturdily and by talented hands. Walking out of the entrance was almost as much of a shock as going in.

The city rose, looking as if the war that had cost me and hundreds of other people our lives had never happened. People walked from here to there, going about their daily business. It was impressive how quickly the city had managed to heal. We were led down the street and around many corners, heading towards the castle that could almost be seen above the roofs of houses and apartment buildings.

Our group stopped suddenly, Javer almost bumping into me. Anderson stepped aside, revealing a similar group of people. My heart froze for a minute. She had been talking to Jack, and turned to face forward, her gaze locking onto me. I hoped for this, but somewhere deep down I never thought I'd get to see her again. Her silver eyes reflected the same amount of disbelief, which she tried to hide beneath a surprised poker face.

We could've stood that way forever. I took a deep breath, unable to keep a smile from my face, and walked to her.

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Sarah's POV

I stood next to Jack, wearing a comfortable long-sleeve shirt, my boots, and warm pants. My hair was lazily tied in a tall ponytail, a few of the black strands framing my face. Today was one of my off-days, which I had sort of come to terms with. The king and I had negotiated fiercely a few days past, and the verdict was that I'd take Fridays off at least once every two weeks. It wasn't as bad as I thought, being forcibly sent on break for a day. I had my garden to keep me busy, and I got to explore more of Veridon. I still missed him, but thankfully no sad thoughts had set in for a while.

We were planning another visit to Simon's house, and maybe to Eba's apartment. Jack was wearing a light set of armor above his casual outfit. I wasn't about to let him wander the woods unprotected, day off or not. The sky was clear, if a bit bleak, and the signs of winter had faded at last. The only reason we were still standing just outside the castle's gates was because we were waiting for the other half of our little convoy, which arrived a couple minutes later.

Valory and Lila neared us, the former greeting Jack with a hug and a smile. I shook hands with the cave spider, who smiled at me. "Good to see you again Sarah."

I gave her a nod, smiling back. "It's good to see you too."

The spider queen turned to hug me as well once she was done with Jack. "Hi! I'm glad to see you without your suit of armor."

I returned the gesture a bit stiffly. "Hi. Yeah, his highness and I agreed that I would take Fridays off every other week."

Valory rolled her eyes, pulling away with a smile. "That's good. It's not healthy for you to push yourself so hard every week."

I shrugged. "That's what everyone says. Shall we go?"

Our friends turned to Jack wearing smiles. The young skeleton king shrugged and waved for us to move on. We walked down the street, taking a few turns on our way to the wall. It was a two-hour journey on foot to reach Simon's house-mansion. Having made this trip many times before, everyone in the group was rested, fed, and had brought small canteens of water. The spider sisters also wore light sets of armor like Jack, and I noticed a knife in its sheath hanging from Lila's waist.

Monsters had never been a problem while visiting Simon, and since I was allowed to forfeit them, I chose to not wear armor nor bring a weapon. The monarchs weren't 'allowed' to go anywhere without protection, and I'm sure Lila isn't either. I had never done that as far as I could remember. A younger me would've been incredibly disappointed with how low I'd fallen. But current me just couldn't be bothered to put on any extra nonsense on her day off.

The others partook in smalltalk, and since I found none of it particularly interesting, I simply kept to myself as I tagged along. Some of the people turned to look at us, their gazes filled with admiration. The ones closer took bows, which Jack returned with a smile. Everybody who met him loved the young king. It was the other cities that liked to cause trouble. He had visited Daerille a few days past, and a couple people had tried to throw rocks and fruit at him.

Hendershot and I had gone as escorts, and between the two of us we kept Jack safe and neutralized his assistants. His highness insisted that we did no harm to them, so we had to let them go instead of punishing them like we should've. Incidents like this also happened in some of the other places Jack visited. The people there, or at least the older population, thought that he wouldn't be a strong enough ruler to keep them safe, and that he was not mature enough for the position. Still, Veridon's citizens, and those of nearby skeleton cities, were very happy with him.

Jack has been doing his best, and so far, it's been more than enough. He had asked two patrols in every city to live the way the poorest of each spot lived, and based off their reports, tried to fix whatever he could. Some of the mayors of certain cities were very greedy, and Troyes had simply let them. Jack actually made an effort to change their laws to dull the amount of corruption substantially, and even then some folks just didn't like to have a 'child' on the throne.

Two soldiers jogged up to us, pulling me from my thoughts. The gave the young skeleton king salutes. "Good afternoon, your highness."

The stray smiled and gave them a short bow in return. "Good afternoon. What do you need?"

"General Anderson sent us to inform you that an airship landed just outside the wall, almost a half-hour ago," one of the soldiers answered, "and to request your presence there."

Jack frowned, exchanging looks with me. "Is it one of ours?" he asked.

The soldier hummed. "It's similar to ours, but much older and in terrible shape."

I raised an eyebrow. We had repaired every surviving airship after the war, and the newest of them were at most three months old. Besides, I was pretty sure each and every one of our ships were docked at the airfield. So what airship could possibly have landed in front of the wall?

The skeleton king nodded after a moment of silent consideration. "Alright, let's go see who it is."

The soldiers gave him bows, turning around and leading us back the way we came. "Who could it be?" the spider queen asked Jack.

"I don't know," he answered. "Hopefully someone friendly."

I ransacked my brain for a potential answer. We were currently using what Simon called Dragoon-class airships, because they were almost the same model as that one. If all our ships were in pristine shape and accounted for, the only possibility I could think of was the first _Dragoon_, but we had abandoned it in the valley on our journey here. One way it could have ended up here was if someone found it and got it operational or if monsters suddenly grew actual brains and were out for revenge. Which was very unlikely.

I turned to the king. "Jack, I'd rather you guys stay behind Anderson and the rest of the troops," I told him. "I think someone found the _Dragoon_, the original one, and I don't like the odds of them being friendly. Especially not with all the artillery it carried."

The stray nodded. "Alright. But I'm sure it'll be unnecessary for me to hide behind them."

"I don't want to run the risk-" I began, facing forwards again.

I froze, staring at the group that stopped before us. General Anderson and three of his men were escorting two more people. It was the one up front that caught my eye, and made my heart skip a beat. His hair was wild and lazily combed, clothes all dirty. But his hazel eyes were the very same. I hid my shock behind a neutral expression as always, but I wasn't sure if I had succeeded. You couldn't blame me anyhow. It was like seeing a ghost. And I just... wasn't prepared for that.

Everything else seemed to blur as he neared. I suddenly wished I had bothered to clean up properly. He smiled sadly, probably feeling bad for every little detail I hadn't paid attention to. The sadistic part of me huffed smugly. He _should_ feel bad. It was _his_ fault I broke down. The rest of me was too shocked to argue. Thomas walked up to me, reaching for my cheek with a hand.

I took a step back before he could reach me. I didn't know why I did. I was still... processing the fact that he was actually here. A hurt frown replaced the tiny smile as he drew his hand back. I could feel tears forming in my eyes. My heart seemed to be pounding in my ears. Feelings and thoughts were running wild all over my head. My hands trembled, unsure if they should hold still or curl into fists. Thomas began to pull away.

Everything just flew out the window. I jumped forward, wrapping him in a tight embrace, unable to stop myself from sobbing. The boy tensed up and then hugged me back. I cried into his shoulder. "Lords, I missed you so much," I whispered pitifully though my veil of tears.

He took a couple shuddery breaths. "I missed you too."

I gritted my teeth, suddenly feeling very angry. He _died_. I cried for him, had run myself ragged to forget him, and now suddenly here he was again? My hands curled into fists, clutching angrily at his shirt. "I hate you... so fucking much," I got out. And yet, inside, I was thanking the lords above for bringing him back to me.

Thomas smiled, squeezing me lightly. "I'm sorry I died. And I'm sorry it took me so long to come back."

We held each other like we'd die if either one let go. "You should be," I whispered quietly, taking several deep breaths to calm down.

The boy pulled away enough to look me in the eye, brushing black strands from my face. "I'm here now. And I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon."

I scanned his face, searching for any inkling of a lie within his words. There was nothing but love and relief in his gaze. I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I wouldn't have let you go anyway," I murmured, lightly pressing my lips against his.

My heart sang in my chest upon contact. The kiss was soft, gentle, and sweet. I had almost forgotten how it felt. We pulled away after a moment, pressing our foreheads together. "I love you," he whispered, total conviction in his voice.

I swallowed, tears blurring my gaze. It had been so long since he'd said that. "I love you too," I murmured back. "As much as it pains me."

Thomas chuckled softly. "I'm sorry for everything."

"Don't be," I said, smiling. "You can make it up to me, now that you're here."

The boy smiled back, kissing me once more. "I will. I promise you."

A sigh escaped me as I placed my head on his shoulders, hugging him again. The storm of uselessness in my head had stopped. I was finally sure how I felt. He still loved me, I still loved him, and we would never again be separated. I was finally happy, after days of nothing and pain. Everything would be better now. Life would be sweet, now that he was here in my arms.

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3rd Person POV

A blaze woman walked down a rugged hall carved into the rough stone of the nether. It had taken the monsters hours to dig it out and it took them longer still to carve the space at its end. Trudy stepped into a small room, where a certain demon stood, looking away from her. She peeked down through the makeshift window to the left of her. This cavern was intended to house the beast Darkness had summoned. Bloodied and broken bones littered the ground. A dark shape moved in the corner of her vision, making Trudy snap her gaze away from the pit.

She cleared her throat. "My lord-"

Something small shoved past her, making the blaze woman huff. "Sire," it began, cutting her off. "Your monsters have brought back your hydra's next meal."

Darkness turned around, nodding at the shape. "Thank you, Ivar. Have them bring the haul to its kennel. Alive."

Ivar gave him a bow. "Of course, my liege."

It turned around, and Trudy could swear she saw the pigman sneer at her as he passed. Oh, how she hated him. The demon had summoned this annoying undead dwarf one day, claiming him to be a second servant to speed the rate at which orders were carried out. But all that shrimp had done thus far was undermine her, and take credit for tasks which she had accomplished. Like right now! She was just about to tell this wretched demon about his monsters-

"Trudy?" Darkness asked dryly, making the blaze woman jump. "Is there something you need?"

The blaze woman blinked. "U-uh, no, my lord. I was going to report the... what Ivar has just told you," she murmured.

The black demon hummed, turning back to the large cavern where his beast roamed. "If there is nothing else you need, then stop wasting time."

Trudy gave him a bow. "Yes, my liege. Forgive me."

"Wait a moment," Darkness called as she began turning away. "There's something I want you to see."

He waved her close, gesturing at the rough pit below. Four armored zombies were dragging in two tied-up and unconscious mobs through a heavy metal door. The dwarf was down there, barking orders at them. Trudy tensed beside the demon.

She turned to him, dreading what she knew would happen. "Sire? Is it of utmost importance-?"

"Watch," Darkness ordered coldly.

Trudy swallowed, forcing herself to step closer to the window. The mobs had been untied and dropped off in the center of the cavern. Ivar rushed the zombies out and shut the door loudly behind him. The booming sound woke one of the people, who sat up with a jolt. They shook their compatriot awake, both of them standing up and looking around. Something moved within the shadows to the left of them. The blaze woman felt as if a cold knife had been passed down her back as she noticed the hydra.

It circled the mobs, keeping to the shadows. It made no sound, its three pairs cyan eyes staring at its meal with interest. One of the mobs noticed, a shout of alarm escaping it. The beast growled, stepping forwards. It had grown rapidly, and was now at least twice its original size. Both prisoners panicked, backing away from the hydra. It continued to circle, herding them into the corner where the most amount of bones lay.

One of the mobs tripped, and then the monster attacked. It rushed forwards, picking up the fallen mob with its middle head. The man shrieked, the crunch of bone reaching Trudy and hollowing her belly. Its leftmost head bit the top half of the man, and together they split him in half, spilling blood and gore all over the cavern. The blaze woman almost hurled, covering her mouth. The other man screamed, running away from the beast.

The third head of the hydra roared, the beast turning to chase after its prey. Trudy couldn't watch as it caught up to the mob and took his head in its free mouth, lifting him off his feet. The man struggled, flailing in vain. The beast bit down, crimson spraying its horrifying maw and ending the mob's life. The blaze woman gagged at the sounds of it feeding, holding herself tightly. She could still hear the screams...

Darkness stared at her with a neutral expression. "Stop wasting time and find something productive to do," he ordered, turning back to the hydra.

Trudy stared at him. The horror kept replaying itself in the back of her mind. The blaze woman gave him a bow, trying to keep her shuddery breathing quiet. "Y-yes, my lord."

She hurried out of the room, wanting to be as far away from that demon and his terrifying beast. She felt that she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. Or ever again.

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Author's Notes

This chapter was much easier to write than the last couple have been. The ending, though dark and very graphic, was actually one of the scenes that practically wrote itself. I do hope I did a good enough job at conveying all the emotions going on during this one, and that you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing it.

Thank you so much for your time and support. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	19. Dinner And Nervousness

Author's Notes

_Sigh_, I'm sorry this one's up so late again. I'm... easily distracted, and it's hard for me to focus on writing when I don't have like... insane amounts of inspiration readily available. So writing is slow, and kept usually to the last minute. I promise I'll try to do better, though.

Now, Reviews!

kevy365, heh, I'm glad you like it so much!

sOL-'-aLOne, heh. Aw, I'm sorry. But you're right, it took me way to long to bring them back together. Thanks for the support! And sorry for making you wait longer than usual.

GiggiEba, :D Yay, finally! Mm, yeah. Also because he's a very powerful ancient demon. Yep, can't have a light without shadow. I'm glad you liked it!

Also, I have a question for you guys. Yes, a lot of what goes on in these chapters is filler. Y'know, fluff, and lore, and little scenes ultimately irrelevant to the plot. I... told myself, because I'm weird, that the story just had to be 32 chapters long, but I've been having more and more trouble writing each chapter because I just don't know what else to add. So, here's the dealio.

Do you guys want shorter stories, about 16-20 chapters long at most, or is this alright to you? Shorter stories means more important events take place faster, and stories are finished quicker. Longer stories have more cutesy or simply fun scenes, but take quite a bit of effort to put together. I would make a poll, but I don't really know how. So I ask you to leave in a review if you'd like shorter or longer stories.

Please follow and favorite my story if you feel I deserve praise. Even if you don't, I'm glad you took the time to read it. :D

And special thanks to kevy365 for doing just that!

Anywho, on with the story!

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Thomas' POV

It had taken some time to get our poor mistreated airship over the wall and all the way to the designated airfield, where it would be repaired and then added to the skeleton clan's inventory. I wasn't piloting, for blatantly obvious reasons, but Javer and I weren't allowed to go anywhere until the Dragoon was documented. Sarah stood next to me the whole time, hugging my arm and holding my hand while wearing a poker face. It was heartwarming and—though I'd never tell her this—adorable.

After the airship thing had been dealt with, Jack invited us to go with them to Simon's house. I agreed, and Javer really had no choice so he came along too. We were also going to visit Eba if we could. I was excited to get back together with all my friends. "What about Adrian?" I asked. "Is he coming with us?"

"No, he's on patrol," the king explained. "But we'll be able to find him once we come back."

I nodded, following them down the busy streets. Val approached me. "How did you come back?" she asked curiously. "If it's okay for me to ask."

Sarah turned to look at me, apparently wanting to know too. Jack and Lila also seemed interested, but they didn't turn their heads. I nodded at the alchemist-in-training walking on the other side of me. "Javer gave me my memories back. Well, some of them."

"How?" the spider pressed.

"I gathered the sun and had him drink it," my friend explained as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

I nodded, confusing the others more. "He found a book that taught him how, but I don't know much other than that."

Valory frowned. "Oh. Alright."

Sarah leant her head against my shoulder, a cute gesture that I could only interpret as 'I'm just glad you're here'. I planted a kiss on the skeleton girl's head, squeezing her hand gently. She squeezed back, not pulling away. We continued to walk through the streets in comfortable silence. A few people bowed before Jack and Valory on our way, exchanging kind words with them.

I leaned to whisper in Sarah's ear. "I know Jack's king, but why are they giving Val bows too?" I asked.

"She's the queen of spiders now," the skeleton girl answered quietly. "Lady June didn't want to rule her clan after the war, so she entrusted the position to Val."

I blinked, leaning away to look at her. "Really?"

Sarah nodded. "Lila and lady June are her royal advisors. I don't know much about their politics, but I think she's doing fine as monarch so far."

"That's good," I said, still a bit surprised. "What other big changes have I missed?"

"Adrian and I are generals, of course," she began with a shrug. "Simon, Izabell, Ara, flicker, Snowdrift, and Blight are living in one big house a couple kilometers from Globe Chapel city. Eba's on her own in a fancy apartment the queen got her, and she's going to be competing in a tournament for the endermen to see who can be the heir to the throne since lady Cassidy's going to retire."

It was a bit much for me to process. "Why is Blight with Simon and not with Eba?" I finally asked once I uncrossed my wires.

"He's with Izabell, not Simon," Sarah corrected me. "Eba didn't want him to be hurt somehow if they found out she had a demon, and thought that it would be an unfair advantage. So they're separated until the tournament ends."

I nodded. "And when does it end? Why is lady Cassidy retiring?"

"It ends in about a month," the skeleton girl answered, smiling at my many questions. "And she's retiring simply because she's tired. Lady Cassidy has been queen for longer than any other monarch. I think she deserves the rest."

I hummed. "I guess she does. How long has she been queen?"

Sarah frowned thoughtfully, moving her head off my arm and staring at the sky. "Around fifty years," she answered after a moment. "She must be at least seventy years old."

We continued to walk down the streets, once again reaching the wall. Anderson and his troops all gave our monarch friends nods and bows as we passed them. In front of our little group was nothing but wide plains and peaceful forests in the distance. It was a beautiful sight after the dull concrete environment we'd gone through. Everybody seemed to relax once we were a short distance from Veridon.

"So, Javer, was it?" Valory asked my friend after a moment.

The alchemist-in-training nodded. "Yeah. What are your names? Tom here didn't bother to clue me in."

The apparent spider queen smiled. "My name is Valory. This is my sister Lila," she said, gesturing at the cave spider, who nodded at my friend. "My boyfriend Jack, and our friend Sarah."

Javer shook hands with Jack and waved at Sarah, who waved back half-heartedly. "Where are you from?" the stray asked him.

"From a village far to the south," the alchemist-in-training answered. "You guys?"

"Sarah and I are from Veridon," Jack said. "Val and Lila are from... Nettle?"

The spider queen nodded. "Mhm. And... what do you do, Javer?"

"I'm training to be an alchemist," my friend replied simply.

Valory raised an eyebrow. "A doctor?"

"Not exactly," Javer began. "Definitely not by your standards. The only school I've ever attended was my mentor's house, and as far as I'm aware, you guys don't accept foreigners anyway."

His tone left the others silent. There was something snarky about his words. I nudged the alchemist-in-training. "What was that for?" I asked in a whisper.

"What was what for?" Javer asked back.

"You nearly bit their heads off," I explained, trying to keep my voice down. "They're trying to be nice. Please do the same."

My friend sighed quietly. "Alright. Sorry." He cleared his throat. "And, uh, what do you do for a living?"

Jack and Valory looked uncomfortable with answering. "I'm Val's royal advisor," Lila answered without a care in the world. "Sarah's a general in the royal guard."

The alchemist-in-training hummed, turning to stare at the stray and spider. Jack shrugged after a moment. "I'm... the king of the skeleton clan," he muttered. "Valory's queen of the spiders."

Javer hummed again. "Congrats."

"So... how's life in a village?" Valory asked.

"It's... more colorful than life in a city," Javer answered with a smile. "It's usually very calm and simple. But I actually haven't lived in my home village for about six months, since I was looking for our spirit friend, but even before I left we were having... financial issues. Thomas, a friend of ours, and I helped set things right though. He didn't want to get here until we were sure the village wouldn't starve anytime soon."

Sarah pressed up closer to me. "I'm glad you only came once your village was safe," she whispered. "But I'm also very angry that you made me wait so much before coming back."

I chuckled, discreetly kissing the top of her head.

"Has that ever happened?" Lila asked. "That you barely had enough food to go by?"

"Not that I can remember," the alchemist-in-training replied. "But some people have told me that it did happen twice quite some time ago. But it hasn't happened for years, so it's all good."

The cave spider hummed. "You said Javer had given you your memories back?" she asked, turning to me.

I gave her a nod. "Yeah."

"How much can you remember?" Lila went on. "Apart from us? Do you even remember anything before you met us?"

"Yes," I answered her. "I remember my past life, with you guys, the life before that, with Javer and the village, and small fragments of the life before that one. A few splotchy memories of other lives too, but nothing concrete."

"What can you remember of the... life before the one with the village?" Valory asked afterwards.

I hummed, frowning thoughtfully. "I... had already forgotten that I was the 'golden spirit' by then. I was actually living in a mob city... from the slimes, I think. It was... Marble, I'm pretty sure. I had a job in a little sandwich shop," I said with a smile.

"That lifetime lasted me... four-ish years?" I continued. "Maybe five. It also ended in a battle between me and Darkness where we both died, like all my other lives. There's not much else important I can remember."

"Any friends? Family?" Lila pressed.

I racked my brain for an answer. "I had a group of friends. There were... four of us. But I can't remember their names. I shared an apartment with one of them, that much I know."

Sarah hummed. "Did you ever have a girlfriend in your past lives? A wife?"

She said it in a nonchalant way that terrified me. Lila snickered quietly while the rest of my friends turned away. "Uh..." I scanned my memories, wanting to give her an honest answer. "I... don't think I've ever been married," I began slowly. "But I'm not sure. As for girlfriends... maybe? I'm pretty sure I've had only one other than you."

The skeleton girl blinked at me and nodded. "Okay. Can you remember her name?"

"Mmm... no," I answered after a moment.

"Well, I hope you remember mine if you're going to keep dying for all eternity," she said, placing her head back on my shoulder.

I frowned at her words. Would I keep dying over and over forever? Something in the back of my mind was sure that I wouldn't. That I could actually die for real. My light is what keeps me alive, I thought to myself. And I'm slowly running out of it. If—when, it's all gone... I expected to come to a dreadful conclusion, but all I could think of was that I would be... just another person. I'd be normal. I wouldn't have to chase demons anymore. I'd be free to live my life how I wanted to, and then... sleep forever.

The prospect of that idea was... soothing. Like a promise, that eventually, I'd be at peace. I placed my head on top of Sarah's, giving her hand a squeeze. I don't think I had ever been married. But I couldn't help but dream about it while she was besides me. I let out a sigh, smiling faintly. I wouldn't have powers anymore once I ran out of light. I wouldn't be immortal. But I'd have her, and that was more than enough for me.

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Izabell's POV

Keeping the bottom floor clean was next to impossible with the hurricane of fluffy white and green that lived with us. The little ones tracked mud inside, dropped things all over the floor, and Flicker had actually started to leave small amounts of gunpowder everywhere. Ara said it was normal and in the end harmless since it was still not 100 percent flammable, but it was still a pain to broom up. The monster was very helpful though, and together we managed to keep the house... presentable. Ish.

Simon actually helped out on the days he took off from work, doing the dishes and cooking or taking care of the little troublemakers. Delicious smells flooded me as I neared the kitchen, wiping sweat from my brow. The creeper boy liked to hum while he did pretty much anything in the house. He also made faces and tended to get sidetracked with a lot of things, which I thought was kind of adorable.

He cut up a potato in an overly aggressive way, going 'hah!' at it before chuckling to himself and tossing it into a big pot. I giggled, catching his attention. "Hi," he said, washing another spud and beginning to peel it. "Tired?"

I sighed, leaving the broom leaning against the wall and walking into the kitchen. "A little. How long until our friends get here?"

The creeper boy hummed, checking his watch. "Maybe... half an hour. Are you gonna take a bath?"

"Yeah," I answered, placing my chin on his shoulder and watching him cook. "You should take one too. You're getting kinda sweaty."

"Alright," he agreed with a nod, chopping up the potato. "I know you didn't ask, but I'm making a beef-and-tato casserole plus a salad. Nobody likes radish anyhow, so it's pretty much just lettuce, dandelion, and thin apple slices."

I smiled. "That sounds great. And smells even better."

"I'm glad you think so," he said, adding the potato to the mix.

I hugged Simon, giving him a little squeeze. "I love you," I told him quietly. "Thank you for everything you do."

The creeper boy smiled, turning around to hug me back. "I love you too, Z," he said, planting a kiss on the top of my head.

I pulled away after a moment longer. "I'm gonna go take a bath, then. Could you make sure Snowdrift and Flickr don't make a mess again?"

"I'll try," he answered with a chuckle. "But I'm not sure if that's physically possible."

I giggled, turning away and walking up the stairs to our bedroom.

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I sat at the couch, scratching Snowdrift between his ears. Ara was giving Flicky bath, or was at least trying to. The house was clean now, and I was once again banned from the kitchen, so there was nothing else to do but wait. I placed the right side of my head on the back of the couch, staring at the kitchen over it. "Simon?" I called.

The creeper boy poked his head out after a moment. "Yeah?"

"Hasn't It been half an hour already?" I asked.

Simon nodded. "More like forty-five minutes. They must've gotten held up by something, Z. I'm sure they'll be here soon."

I sighed, sitting back down properly. The creeper boy walked out of the kitchen, sitting on the other side of me and pecking my cheek. "How do you feel now that you've had a bath?"

"Better," I answered with a smile, kissing him back. "You need to go take yours before they get here."

He nodded. "I know, but I have to finish preparing the food so I can leave it cooking before I wash up." Simon smiled at Snowdrift, petting my snow fox's side. "Hey, buddy. You all nice and clean now?"

Snowdrift opened his eyes, chirping at him softly. I giggled, leaning against the creeper boy. "Yes, he's very clean."

"Certainly looks that way," he agreed, taking my free hand. "He's so white it's almost blinding."

I shook my head, pulling away after a moment. "Go finish cooking and then take a bath," I told the creeper boy.

Simon nodded, getting up off the couch. "Alright. Tell me when our friends arrive, okay?"

"Okay, love you," I told him as he walked back into the kitchen.

"Love you too," he called back.

I continued to just sit there for maybe ten more minutes. Simon finished preparing dinner and went upstairs to take a bath during that time. I was about to pick out a book from one of our shelves when I heard a knock at our door. I nudged Snowdrift off of me gently, getting up to answer it. Jack, Valory, Lila and Sarah were there, as well as two others.

I gasped, staring at one of the boys. "Thomas?"

He smiled, nodding. "Yeah. I'm here."

"Wh... how?" I asked incredulously.

"The long and short of it is that my friend, Javer," he answered, gesturing to the boy beside him, "found me and gave me my memories back with a vial of sunlight."

I blinked at him, and then stared at the others in turn. They all nodded back. I smiled at them. "Well... come in! I'll... go tell Simon!"

I turned around, running to the back of the house and then up the stairs. I burst into the bedroom and walked up to the bathroom door. "Simon!" I called from my side.

"Yeah?" he asked, shouting through the sounds of his shower.

"Hurry up!" I told him. "Thomas is back!"

Something thumped against the floor, and the water was turned off. "Come again?" he asked slowly.

"Finish your shower and come downstairs," I repeated. "Thomas is back."

There was silence from the other side. "Right," he finally answered, turning the water back on.

I giggled at his reaction and turned to go back downstairs. The others were standing and sitting around the living. I smiled at Sarah, sitting on an empty couch and patting the space beside me. The skeleton girl exchanged looks with Thomas before dragging him over and sitting down. The other boy I didn't know was still standing awkwardly next to the door.

"You can take the coat off," I told him, gesturing to the rack where everybody else's jackets and things where hung, "and sit down. There's plenty of room. What's your name?"

"Javer," he answered, reluctantly taking off his coat. It made glassy tinkling sounds as he did. "What's yours?"

"Izabell," I replied. "Where are you from?"

The boy sat down on an empty couch next to Thomas. "A village to the south. This is a pretty nice house."

"Yeah, it's my boyfriend's," I told him. "Um... how did you bring Thomas back?"

"I bought a book from a wandering trader," Javer began. "I learned how to gather... well, I'm not sure if it's literal, but sunlight nonetheless."

"Really?" I asked, turning to look at Thomas. The boy, and Sarah, nodded.

"Yeah," he said with a nod. "I set of to find him after a year's worth of sun-collecting—which by the way amassed to a small vial—and spent six months traveling before I finally found him lying on his back in a taiga biome. I gave him the vial, and he got his memories back. That's about it."

"We did spend a few weeks in our home village where I lived during my lifetime before the one with you guys," Thomas commented. "But otherwise, yeah, that's it."

I nodded, unable to keep a smile on my face. I turned to Sarah, who rolled her eyes and smiled back. "I'm so glad you're back," I told Thomas. "Now we can all get back together in the next couple of months!"

The boy raised an eyebrow. "Why specifically then?"

"We're all pretty busy with our lives, Tom," Sarah began explaining. "But we still meet up every three months, even Kait. We had a meet-up last month, and we'll be having another one in... April, I think."

I gave her a nod. "Yeah. Where did we agree to come together this time?"

"The castle's dining hall," Jack reminded me. "It's plenty spacious, and I can make sure we're not bothered by any of the residents."

"Right, okay." I turned back to Javer. "What do you do for a living, Javer? What is it like to live in a village?"

"It's, uh... I'm training to become an alchemist," he answered after gathering his thoughts for a moment. "And it's very peaceful, usually. Everyone knows each other, for the most part, and we all take care of everybody else. Our Healer makes sure that we're healthy and warns us if there's anything dangerous is coming."

I hummed, tilting my head. "That's sounds really nice, actually. So your Healer is like a doctor for everybody?"

"Yeah," Thomas answered with a nod. "A doctor and a... mayor, I guess you could say."

I nodded and opened my mouth to ask something else when footsteps caught my attention. Simon walked down the stairs, his hair a bit of a mess. The creeper boy smiled at Thomas, who smiled back and got up. Simon outstretched a hand. "Welcome back to the land of the living, man."

Thomas chuckled, shaking the creeper boy's hand. "Glad to be back."

My boyfriend gestured for him to sit back down, taking his own seat on the couch's armrest next to me. "I'm sure you've had to repeat the story at least five times already, so I'll ask about it later. What's your name?" he asked, turning to the alchemist.

"Javer," he answered simply.

Simon nodded. "Nice to meet you. I'm Simon. Again, you must feel like a broken record, so I'm not going to pester you with anymore questions."

"Nice to meet you too," Javer answered, looking a bit surprised. "And yeah, thanks."

The creeper boy took my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Why don't you guys all sit at the dinner table and I'll go see how everything's going in the kitchen?"

Our friends all gave murmurs of agreement, getting up and walking towards the table. Simon planted a kiss on the top of my head before walking into the kitchen. I followed everyone else, sitting in my usual spot. I smiled, finding Snowdrift resting on Simon's chair. Thomas and Sarah sat down to my left, Javer finding a spot next to the boy.

Simon came back, picking up Snowdrift and setting him on his lap after sitting down. The snow fox chirruped and hopped off. "Well, how are you all doing?" Simon asked with a chuckle.

"Nothing bad has happened recently, so it's all good," Jack answered.

"We've been okay too," Valory replied. "Just had to deal with a few minor issues." The cave spider huffed at that, but didn't say anything.

"Honestly, been better," Javer muttered. "We were stuck on that airship for more than a week."

Thomas nodded. "Also, I'm kind of glad you weren't there to receive us, Simon," he added.

The creeper boy raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"The Dragoon was... well, it had seen better days," the boy explained with a nervous smile.

Simon chuckled, shaking his head. "I can imagine."

"And how have you five been?" Valory asked.

"Simon has actually gotten himself Tuesdays and Fridays off," I told her. "Which is great for everyone because he gets to relax and spend more time with us while we get to enjoy good food for once."

The creeper boy wrapped an arm around my shoulder, kissing the top of my head. "What are you talking about? Your cooking's great."

I giggled, pulling away in embarrassment. "Yeah, but yours is much better."

Simon hummed, getting up. "Speaking of which..." he said, walking back into the kitchen.

We continued to talk while he was gone, about how our days had gone and the adventures Thomas and Javer had been in. There were just about to finish a story about escaping some monster-riddled mineshafts with a friend when Simon got back, carrying a big pot, inside of which was a casserole that smelled of heaven. The boy warned us not to touch it yet, taking several trips to give everyone their salads.

He sat back down, smiling as everyone began to take pieces of the beef cut in the casserole. "What do you think?" the creeper boy asked after we had all had a bite.

"I think I'll have to hire you as a cook," Valory answered. "How much does Adam pay you?"

Simon chuckled. "A hundred and fifty gold coins a month."

The spider queen blinked, turning to her sister. "Can we afford that?" she asked.

Lila's head dropped to the table, the cave spider trying to hold back laughter. "No!" she answered laughingly after a moment. "We are not spending the people's money on a cook that asks for almost twice what ours get!"

Valory giggled. "Alright, alright, calm down."

"What do you do for a living?" Javer asked. "Must be important if they're paying you so much."

"He's one of king Adam's royal engineers," I answered proudly before Simon could.

"It's nothing too impressive," the creeper boy said, smiling at me. "But it does pay well."

"He designed the airship we flew all the way over here," Thomas told the alchemist.

"Oh, really?" Javer asked Simon. "Congratulations, I guess. Considering how badly Tom was flying the thing, you did a really good job."

We laughed, and kept laughing and chatting between delicious mouthfuls for a while. "Hey, guys?" Jack eventually asked. "Where are you planning on staying?"

"Maybe an apartment or something," Javer answered. "We're only going to be around a couple months, right Tom?"

Sarah suddenly tensed next to me, slowly turning to look at Thomas. I could almost imagine her look of rage half-hidden beneath a poker face... The boy stared back, stuttering for a moment. Everybody else was silent as well, professing Javer's words. The alchemist was also starin at Thomas, maybe waiting for a confirmation.

Thomas took a deep breath, staring back at Sarah sadly. "It's... I'm going to be around for a while longer, okay? We just... I promised I'd go back to the village eventually."

"I don't want you around 'a while longer'," the skeleton girl told him quietly, turning away. "I... want you here, with me, for good..."

The boy sighed, pulling Sarah into a hug. She wiggled out of his grasp, getting up. "I want to be here with you too," Thomas told her, taking the girl's hand before she could leave. "I... Okay, listen. J and I are going to stay here two months, and then we'll go back to the village for a week. I'll come right back afterwards, okay? I promise."

The skeleton girl stared at him for a moment. "Please sit down," the boy asked quietly.

Sarah let out a sigh, getting back into her chair. "Sorry," she mumbled. "It's your... your home, I guess. I just... thought you were going to stay with us now, instead of traveling back and forth."

"It's fine," Thomas murmured, wrapping her in a hug. "I should've told you guys."

"You can stay at the castle," Jack suggested after a moment of silence. "We've got plenty of roooms. Now, let's... change the subject, okay?"

Everyone agreed, and the rest of our chat went on like that tense moment had never happened. We continued to laugh and tell stories until it was time for everyone to go home. As I went to bed, I suddenly remembered all the dreams I'd had of... getting to relive the days when we were all together. Now... those days had never felt closer, and it warmed my heart.

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Eba's POV

My nerves were all over the place. Today was the first—well, third day of the tournament. I had actually gotten in! ...and it was terrifying. There were 200 participants chosen out of _six hundred_ applicants. That meant I had to outlast 199 others who had trained probably harder and for longer than I had. I was still processing the fact that I had gotten chosen to begin with, and it was all so overwhelming, I just-

"Hey, you okay?" Annie asked, pulling me from my thoughts. "You looked really worried for a moment."

"O-oh, um, yeah," I stuttered out. "I-I'm fine."

Cynthia gave me a sudden hug. "Hey, relax. You've been training a lot for this moment. You're gonna kick ass, I'm sure of it."

I smiled at her, feeling my cheeks redden at the surprising embrace. "Thanks... I'm just really really nervous."

"Don't be," Blight told me, summoning a shadow for himself. My friends tensed a little. They were still not used to him being around, or making himself appear out of the blue like that. We were actually walking through the woods towards the arena that had been built specifically for the tournament, so it was alright for him to be out and about.

"I know how good of a fighter you are," my demon continued. "You'll do great in the tournament. Just remember that we all have your back."

I took a couple of deep breaths and then nodded. "Thanks. All three of you."

Blight smiled. "Not just the three of us. The rest of your friends will be there too. You did say you didn't want me with you during the tournament for safety's sake."

I smiled back, although I felt guilty as well. It was probably hurtful to him that I wanted to do this alone. "Let's get going," Annie urged. "We don't want you to be late."

I nodded, picking up the pace. It took us another ten minutes to find the dirt path that had been flattened out to get to the arena, and then fifteen more to actually reach the large structure. I smiled, noticing my group of friends standing near the door. They all noticed me as we neared, turning to smile. I was about to give Izabell a hug when I noticed somebody new in our little group, as well as somebody who I hadn't seen in ages.

"Thomas!" I called in surprise, nearing them more slowly.

The boy smiled, walking past our friends to meet me with Sarah in tow. "Hey. It's nice to see you again, Eba."

"Hi," I said incredulously. "You're... here? How?"

"My friend brought me back," Thomas replied, gesturing to the other boy. "His name's Javer, he's training to be an alchemist, and he lives in a village to the south. He gave me a vial of sunlight and I got my memories back from that."

I blinked at him. "Oh. Um... okay?"

The boy smiled. "It's a bit confusing, I know. But we can talk about that later. Who're your friends?"

"This is Cynthia," I answered, gesturing to the young woman. "And this is Annie."

More greetings were exchanged by everyone. "Okay, um... Iza?" I asked the slime girl. "Could you... take Blight while I... do this?"

Izabell nodded. "Okay. But, uh... where?"

I frowned, thinking for a moment. "The woods over there," Blight suddegsted, nodding at the forest in question. "We just need to be far away enough from the path to make sure nobody sees."

The slime girl nodded, pecking Simon's cheek and walking into the underbrush. I followed her, and we stopped a couple of meters from the stream of people arriving at the arena. We both sat down, and my demon's shadow turned into a cloud of dark-grey dust, making its way back to me.

_Ready?_

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the pain. _Yes, I'm ready._

Blight gave me a sort of nod inside my head, and then I felt like my forehead was being perforated from the inside-out. The pain faded after a few excruciating seconds, but it took me a moment longer to feel like I could open my eyes without it stinging like hell. Izabell was taking several deep breaths, a couple of tears making their way down her cheeks. I got up on slightly wobbly feet and held my hand out to her.

"Thank you for this," I told the slime girl as she took my hand. "And... I'm sorry that you have to go through that."

Izabell smiled, rubbing her forehead a little. "It's okay, I'm fine. Let's get you into the tournament."

I gave her a nod, and we both walked back to the arena's front gate. I had to sign some paperwork and then show the guard there the letter I had gotten to prove I'd been accepted. My friends got tickets that said 'visitor', and I got a cloth bracelet that said 'participant'.

"The tournament starts in twenty," the guard told me. "You can help your friends find seats if you want, but you need to be down in the participant's area at least five minutes before it starts."

I nodded. "Okay, thank you."

I led our little group into the arena, and tried to not lose myself in just the... everything. The stadium was full of people, and at the center was a large area filled with grass and little stone structures; walls, pillars, and ramparts. But what overwhelmed me was the amount of onlookers. There were just so many of them! I almost froze, my nerves coming back in full force.

Cynthia took my hand. "Hey, relax. You're going to to great, everybody's sure of it."

I blinked at her, surprised at the gesture. Then I closed my eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. "Okay... okay. Let's find you guys seats."

We spent a little while wandering up and down the arena's bleachers, which looked surprisingly comfortable. This project must not have been cheap for lady Cassidy. We eventually found a pocket where they could all sit together. "You've got this," Annie assured me with a smile.

The others agreed, nodding and smiling at me. "Blight wishes you good luck," Izabell told me before I left. "So do I."

I smiled at the slime girl. "Thank him for me, please. And... thank you. All you guys."

We exchanged some more goodbyes and I was wished more luck. I wandered all the way back to the entrance, this time walking down the set of stairs marked with 'participants only'. I was stopped by a guard at the bottom, who asked to check my bracelet and then let me inside. There were at least twenty other people already there, either practicing battle moves or getting ready in one way or another.

A woman with a clipboard was ordering people around. She noticed me standing there, and walked over. "Name?"

"E-Eba Delgado," I answered nervously.

"Delgado, right. You're up against Magnolia Vesper. Luckily for you, she's already on the other side, so you're in time to get ready. There's armor and weapons on the wall, so take your pick. You're the fifth pair, but that doesn't mean you should relax. Quickly, get ready, and be ready for me to call your name."

I gave her a nod, but the gesture was wasted as the woman had already turned around before she spoke the last word. I sigh, walking up to the wall. A lot of the weapons and armor were already missing, which I guess was my fault for getting here so late. I took a set of violet-dyed leather armor, and scanned the swords that were set on the racks. A wide variety of them had been taken, leaving only a couple of each type in their slots.

I sighed, opting for a thin longsword. I waved it experimentally, trying to see how it would be to weild it. It was nothing like what I was used to, since my Needlepoint and even Piketooth were pretty evenly balanced with weight. This sword was very front-heavy, and hard for me to move around. I put it away again, taking a similarly-shaped shortsword from its place and testing that. This was more my speed, although still a bit heavy.

Once I was satisfied with my choice of a weapon, I walked over to a free corner and began putting my armor on atop my clothes. I tied my hair up too, although since it's pretty short now it didn't cause me much issue. I took a deep breath, sitting down on an empty bench to wait. Everybody else seemed really good at fighting... much better than me. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Everybody said they knew I would do good. I just... had to believe that...

"You okay?"

I blinked my eyes open, staring up at a young woman, who smiled. "Hi. Are you alright?" she repeated.

"O-oh, um, yeah," I answered. "Just a bit nervous..."

"Hey, it's alright to be nervous," she said, sitting down next to me. "I'm Janice. What's your name?"

I smiled back at her. "Eba. Are you nervous too?"

"Oh yes, very," she answered with a little giggle. "But, um... just, don't let it get to you. If we all got accepted, it's because we're all plenty good at this, right? So just wait your turn and see what happens. There's no shame in loosing, either, so it's pretty much for fun that we're doing this. Relax, nothing bad's gonna happen to you."

I blinked at her, nodding. "You're right... thanks."

"No problem," she said, getting up. "Nice to meet you, Eba. See you 'round."

"Yeah, nice to meet you too," I replied. Janice nodded with a smile and then walked away to somewhere else. I stared at the door on the opposite side of the room, which was labeled with 'arena entrance'. It didn't see all that menacing now. Just a bit spooky, but no longer the... terrifying thing I saw before. I would be alright. I might even win. It was all going to be okay. I took one last deep breath, and waited patiently for my turn.

Everybody was right. I got this.

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Author's Notes

So, it took me three days to finish this one, and I'm sorry. But, to make up for it, and on accident, the chapter is 6.5k words long. I... hope that's worth the wait. This one was very difficult for me to write, but I got through it in the end. I hope you enjoy it as much as the chapters before. :)

Thank you so much for your time, support and patience. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	20. A Message From The Author

Okay, uh... _sigh_, I have been having serious issues with writing the story. I just... open a blank document, ready to begin typing, and then nothing happens. I can't do it, for some reason, and I just... feel like I should tell you guys, or those that care.

I want to take a break from the story, maybe for a week or two at most, to see what else I can work on. I've asked other authors about it, and their suggestions are good, but I simply don't have enough time to write a 5k-word-long chapter right now.

I won't stop writing—might, in fact, finish a one-shot I'm working on about Thomas and Darkness—but I will be putting KOS on hold. I might work on other stories or post random one-shots or something along those lines in the meantime.

Anyway, thank you for your time and understanding, guys. I hope you have an awesome day. :D

~ LeMafiaKreb


	21. Finally!

Alt. Title: The Tournament Begins

Author's Notes

I am terribly sorry. It's been an eternity and a half since I last uploaded anything, and that's entirely my fault. Playing games with someone important to me and watching videos took priority over my writing, and procrastination didn't help either. I keep asking for you to forgive and then promising that I'll get better, but if anything I get worse. Just... well, I want you fellas to know that I'm not quitting. Not until every word in my head has been typed out and posted.

Anywho... again, I'm sorry, and let's answer some reviews, yeah?

GiggiEba, I'm glad you liked it. Alright, well, yeah, I've decided that shorter stories are what I'll be going for. Too much filler has been the bane of my existence as of now, so. And yes, hopefully it will.

kevy365, heh, yeah, finally!

ScarOfHerobrine (regarding the message from author), wonder if you've caught up already. You've had plenty of time. :P Thanks for the good wishes, and I'm sorry it took me almost 3 months to write this.

kevy365 (regarding the message from the author), thanks, and I did in the end. :D

Now, I don't know when the next one's coming out. Hopefully, I'll have it done by next week. I've decided, as well, that I'm going to 'cut it short'. I wanted the story to be 32 chapters long, but honestly, I can't think of enough scenes for that to work. So, KOS will be shortened, and it might end up only being 24 or 26 chapters long. That doesn't mean parts of the story are being removed, cuz they're not, I just don't want to keep adding filler chapters.

Anywho... at long, long last, let's get on with the story!

Oh, and uh... the ending is a bit... unpleasant. Nothing sexual, but still. You've been warned. I think.

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Eba's POV

The moment of courage lasted all of about ten seconds. My nerves came back quickly, and they just got worse and worse as more time passed. I tried to distract myself, talking with some of the other contestants, but it didn't really work. I mean, it helped, a little, but I... just, the thought of... so many people watching while I fought somebody else was... overwhelming. What if I lost right then, on my first match? What if one of us got hurt somehow? What if-

The woman with a clipboard came back, calling—or, shouting—my name. "Eba Delgado! Where's Eba Delgado?"

I stood up, taking my sword with me and stiffly walking towards her. "I-I'm here."

"You're up," she said simply, turning me around and nudging me towards the 'arena entrance' door. "Go go go!"

I hesitated, and then tensed up as the cheery voice of the tournament's announcer boomed from the outside. "_Magnificent performance from both Della Grace and Avery Grant! Sadly, only Della will be moving on to tomorrow's matches. Up next, we have Magnolia Vesper against Eba Delgado!_"

The on-lookers cheered. I frozen in place the second my name was called, staring at the door in front of me that looked more daunting now than ever. The lady was saying—shouting—stuff that I couldn't hear over the sound of my terrified, pounding heart. Then I was somehow out the door, which slammed shut behind me. I felt very small, slowly inching back to glue myself to the wall. People were cheering loudly, and just the green-ness of the arena was unbearable. On the opposite side to me, maybe fifteen meters away, was another young woman with red armor and a longsword who staring at me menacingly.

I couldn't control my breathing or racing heart, dread trailing its cold claws over me. I couldn't stop my hands from trembling as panic rose and swamped me. I quickly scanned the crowd for my friends, cursing myself over and over for ever asking Blight to leave me. I sighed in relief as my eyes finally locked onto my demon. He and the others were all cheering for me, urging me on from their seats. Blight could see, even though we were so far away, how scared I felt. He took a deep breath, gesturing for me to do the same.

I smiled, closed my eyes and drew in a breath. _One... two... three... four... five..._ I let it out, and then took another deep breath. _One, two, three, four, five._ Finally, I drew in one last deep breath and then let it go, raising my sword. The crowd cheered, but this time, it didn't spook me.

"First things first, ground rules," the announcer said through the many loudspeakers. "_Number one rule is that warping is in no way permitted! If you're caught vanishing and reappearing elsewhere, you will be disqualified!_

_Rule number two: if you are knocked down, pinned to the ground, or otherwise cornered, then you have lost the match! _

_Lastly, if you are caught cheating—and by that I mean using tools, potions, or weapons you weren't given before the match by our tournament moderators—then you are disqualified. Everything past that point should be obvious; fight fair, no poking each other's eyes out, and may the best win."_

_"Now, contestants, are you ready?_" the announcer asked us.

The other girl nodded. I rolled my shoulders, and gave the same answer. "_In that case, let the match begin!_"

I ran forwards, and the crowd cheered. The other- um, Magnolia, also rushed towards me. Her weapon looked much more menacing that mine... We soon locked blades, and the crowd cheered. We were, to my shock and relief, about as strong as each other. She didn't seem to care, simply glaring at me. I took one last deep breath, and then returned her glare. I spun to the left, causing my opponent to stumble forwards. Then I followed up with a swung as fast as I could, but she managed to keep her balance and lift her sword in time to block my attack.

She didn't seem to like what I tried to do at all. Magnolia began swinging her longsword relentlessly, pushing me back little by little. I started blocking her every strike, holding my ground. My opponent swung upwards in an arc, and I saw my opportunity. I swung my weapon at her torso before she could recover, an audible grunt leaving her as she stumbled back. Just like her, I kept her in place with swing after relentless swing. Her heavy weapon made it hard to block all my attacks, and I managed to drive her backwards.

My opponent was furious, and apparently got angrier with every blow I managed to land. She shoved me backwards with her weapon and got some distance between us. I kept my sword up and at the ready, watching Magnolia do the same. We then began circling each other. I closed my eyes for two seconds to wipe sweat from my brow, and when I opened them, a wooden blade rushed forwards to meet me. Without thinking, I screwed my eyes shut and ducked, raising my weapon above my head to block follow-up attacks.

Magnolia was still mid-swing when I opened my eyes again. It all felt as if it where happening very slowly. The crowd was still cheering loudly, but they sounded so slow and far away. I didn't give my opponent the chance to recover. I swung my faux sword forwards as hard as I could, hitting her side. Magnolia stumbled, recovering quickly. But not quickly enough, as I managed to land another swing, driving her further backwards. I kept swinging my weapon, pushing her along.

Then everything went downhill. My head was snapped to the right as my opponent struck me with a harsh blow. Stars danced over my field of vision, everything moving too much. I stumbled, placing a hand on my head to try and settle the spinning and the loud ringing. I saw another blow coming out of the corners of my eyes. I was about to close them, feeling deeply sad that I had, in fact, lost my first ever match in the tournament. I felt so... so terrible.

My eyes locked onto something, someone, who wasn't spinning. Blight was urging me on from his seat. I couldn't hear anything—the world was spinning too fast and the ringing was too loud—but I could see pride and angst in his gaze. He was worried for me. Not for wether or not I'd win. I could almost hear his voice and make out his words...

_You've got this! Come on!_

I drew in yet another deep breath, and rolled. The telltale 'whoop' of a blow dodged by a hair reached my ears. I hopped back onto my feet after rolling away and, without skipping a beat, whirled around to rush forwards. I was already mid-swing by the time my opponent had processed what just happened. My blow hit her side, causing Magnolia to grunt and stumble. I landed two more blows, ducking beneath her counter-attack and running past her to get some distance between us.

I turned to face my opponent, the crowd going wild. We were both tired—I could see the sweat on her forehead, and that she was breathing heavily. My head still hurt, a lot, and the ringing hadn't gone entirely. But raised my sword, and rushed back towards her. Magnolia swung forwards in an arc as I approached, but I once more dodged her attack. I spun, and using my momentum, swung for the side of her head. My wooden blade hit her with a 'thunk'. My opponent stumbled back and fell. She slowly tried to get back up, so I ran over and pressed the tip of my faux weapon against her chest, keeping her down. The crowd cheered in the background, Magnolia glaring up at me.

"What an amazing performance!" the announcer boomed excitedly. "_Eba Delgado has won the match! Truly one of the best battles we've seen yet! Magnolia did her best, and she did very good, but it just wasnt quite enough for her to move on. Speaking of, let's move on to the next match-up!_"

A door opened on the side of the arena in front of us, the lady with a clipboard gesturing for us to hurry and go there. I moved my sword away and outstretched a hand to Magnolia. The young woman stared at it for a moment and then took my offering. "I'm sorry I hit you so hard," I mumbled, the rush of battle quickly fading away.

"It's... it's fine," she said, giving me a tiny smile. "I hit you just as hard, so... I guess we're even. You did good."

"Thanks... you did great too," I said.

We both walked towards the door, the lady there looking impatient and upset. "Hurry up, you two!" she shouted as we neared before roughly pulling us both into a small room. "You can go sit with your friends now. Gimme your armor, weapons and bracelets and I'll give you visitor's tickets. You need to exit from over there," she said, gesturing to a set of stairs, "and then get back into arena. If you've got better things to do, just leave."

We followed her orders, giving the lady what she asked for. She handed us the paper slips that my friends had gotten when we went in. "Alright, now go. Shoo, go!"

Magnolia and I exchanged looks, and then we walked up the stairs. They led us out a few meters to the left of the arena's entrance. "Well, I guess I wish you luck for tomorrow's match," Magnolia said, holding out a hand.

I smiled and shook it. "Thank you. Um... have a good day."

"You too," she said with a nod, turning away. "Oh, uh... no hard feelings, okay?" she added before walking back up the dirt path and towards the city.

"Okay," I mumbled, waving at her before walking to the gate. My friends stepped through right before I got there, chattering excitedly. Blight noticed me right away, smiling widely. I smiled back, rushing to hug him.

"Hey, hey, wait," he said, moving away. "I don't want to hurt you."

I frowned, a bit hurt, and then remembered. "Oh. Right..."

Cynthia wrapped me up in a hug instead. "You did amazing!" she said, giving me a squeeze.

I blushed, giggling a little in embarrassment. "U-um, thank you..."

Izabell walked up to me and I smiled, gently wiggling out of Cy's arms. I gave the slime girl a hug. "Thank you for taking care of Blight," I murmured, letting go after a minute.

Iza returned the hug. "No problem. You did really well!"

"We were all scared that you got seriously hurt," Annie added.

"Yeah, that looked painful," Simon muttered. "But I guess winning your first match is worth a concussion, no?"

Izabell gave him a look, making the creeper chuckle. "How did it feel, being down there?" Thomas asked. "Apart from, you know, the blow to the head."

I rubbed the side of my head, flinching when my fingers came in contact with the painfully sore spot. "Um... it was terrifying. I panicked almost immediately..." I mumbled.

"But you pulled through, and won," Blight reminded me. "It was very brave of you to even try."

"That's true," Sarah agreed with a nod. "And we're all very proud of you."

I couldn't help but smile and wrap the skeleton girl in a quick hug. To my surprise, she returned the embrace. "You're braver than you give yourself credit for, Eba," she told me as I pulled away.

"Thanks..." I murmured, rubbing my arm self-consciously. I felt so proud! I had actually done it! My cheeks were warm, and I couldn't stop smiling. I would've jumped up and down from how happy I was, but that would've been embarrassing...

"We should celebrate, don't you think?" Cynthia asked, giving me another hug.

"You can come to our house if you want," Simon offered.

"Um..." I exchanged looks with Cynthia and Annie, getting smiles from the both of them. "Thanks, uh... I think we'll go, then..."

Both Izabell and the creeper smiled. "Alright, then, let's go," Simon said, leading us away. "Are you coming guys?" He asked the others.

Jack sighed, tucking his hands in his pockets. "As much as I'd like to join you, there's a lot of matters I have to deal with today. You both can go ahead," he told Adrian and Sarah.

The skeleton girl looked torn, for some reason. "I can't let you go without anybody to keep you safe."

"I'm going with him," Valory assured her, taking the skeleton king's hand. "You can go celebrate with Eba."

Sarah relaxed, a little, and gave her a nod. We walked back up the path as a group, and split up as we reached Globe Chapel city. Simon led us towards his house-mansion... thing. Cynthia held my hand the whole journey, which I... didn't know how... I... wasn't sure if I... felt uncomfortable with it. I-I mean, um... her hand was warm, so... it... n-nevermind.

I put aside thoughts of Cy's... um... antics, and just felt happy. I had won! The pride and warm, fuzzy feeling came back, and celebrating with my friends? I felt like this was and might always be the best day of my life.

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Kait's POV

Something felt off in... well, everywhere. I hadn't noticed at first, but I woke up feeling that... everything just wasn't quite right. All the castle residents were tense, and skittish. Even Theridas was acting weird, dodging my questions and running off on errands. My clases were even suspended, which almost made me shout in joy before I realized that this meant something was actually wrong. Confused and annoyed, I walked all the way to mom's throne room.

Three messengers were there with her, so I waited until they left to go up to my mom. It was even more worrying that she had called this many to her. "Mom?"

She smiled at me, but I could tell just how tired she was. That was how she looked when we met up again after I had to run from the nether. Exhausted. "Hello, sweetie. Did you need anything?"

I had planned to be strong and demand answers, but now... I couldn't bring myself to do it. "I, um... look, mom, I know something's off. Nobody had been able or willing to tell me what, though. I just... I just want to know. Please."

The queen hesitated for a moment. "You... It's... best you don't know," she muttered. "I don't want you to worry."

The guilt I felt about even asking her when she was so tired immediately vaporized. "What? How does that... no, mom, you have to tell me."

Mom sighed and stood up, holding her arms out for a hug. "Come here, nether-plum," she murmured, wrapping me up in an embrace. "Everything will be just fine, alright? Go practice your fighting skills in the courtyard. I'll send Theridas to help you if you want."

I freed myself from her comforting hug. "So you admit something's wrong? Why won't anybody tell me what it is? I just want an answer, mom!"

The queen frowned and then shook her head. "I already told you, it's best you don't know. Go to your room, Kaitlin. I won't ask again."

I had never felt angrier at my mom. "It's one question, mom! Come on!"

"Go to your room," she said more firmly. "Or I will have somebody escort you there."

I was about to continue arguing, but then I just groaned. "Fine, I'll go! But not to my room," I called over my shoulder as I started walking away. "I'm taking a walk."

"Stay within the fortress walls," mom told me, a hint of worry in her voice.

"I'll go wherever I want!" I shot back, turning a corner.

Now that I was out of sight, I felt terrible. We had never had any arguments. I was just... scared, and upset that nobody would explain to me what was wrong. Maybe a walk _would_ be nice. I heaved a sigh, walking down the fortress hallways and stairs. I passed a lot of servants and a couple more messengers, but I ignored them and they ignored me. The long dark bridge connecting the fortress' island and the mainland greeted me after a few minutes.

I crossed the bridge quietly, lost in my own thoughts. Why wouldn't mom tell me? How did it make any sense to not do so? How would I not worry about something being wrong if she's hiding it from me? What was wrong? Everybody was skittish, and I hadn't seen any of the usual travelers or trading caravans going into and leaving the fortress. So something was definitely keeping everyone on edge. What could it be?

The soft wail of a far-off ghast pulled me from my thoughts, and I suddenly noticed how far I had walked. More worrying, though, was how empty the caverns were. They were devoid of any monsters, and quiet except for the bubbling of lava and a couple more ghast calls. It was beyond unusual for these places to be empty. I continued walking, now focused on my surroundings.

There might be a couple reasons why there were no monsters. Adult male ghasts are very territorial, and monsters can usually tell if the ground is going to open up beneath them. But pigmen don't really care about ghasts, and magma cubes tend to hop about even if cave-ins are imminent. The fact that there was _nothing_ here piqued my curiosity. I stuck close to the walls, peeking into small caves and looking around big netherrack pillars to see if I couldn't find anything.

A weird sound caught my attention. It was coming from 'outside' the caverns I was searching, similar to something sliding against gravel. There was an opening nearby, so I walked over to it and peered out. Three zombie pigmen walked side-by-side in silence, iron swords hanging in their sheaths on their backs. What shocked me most, though, were the three unconscious, tied-up people that they were dragging along the rough ground.

I didn't hesitate the moment I processed what was before me. I rushed over and tossed a fireball at the middle monster, the pigmen slowly turning to face me. It didn't even flinch, drawing its sword and blocking my attack. The others drew their own weapons and started walking towards me as I went on. I tossed two more fireballs at them, one of my proyectiles connecting with the closest pigman.

The monster caught fire, but it didn't seem to care. The disgusting smell of burning rotten flesh filled the air. It swung in an arc as I neared, so I ducked beneath its attack and torched it from below. I knocked the burning monster back, and it fell shortly after, reduced to a pile of blackened bone and skin. The other pigman was already mid-swing when I turned away from the corpse, aiming for my head.

I flattened myself to the ground and rolled away, hopping back onto my feet once I'd gotten some distance between us. The monster squealed, shuffling quickly towards me. I threw fireball after fireball at it, but the pigman blocked every one. It finally got close enough to attack me again and did not waste time, swinging diagonally at me. I jumped back, narrowly avoiding the sword's sharp edge, and sent flames his way.

The pigman didn't have enough time to defend himself, backing off and squealing. I gave him no mercy, tossing more fireballs at it until he too was charred to the bone. I looked around, noticing the third monster had continued on its merry way, dragging the unconscious people along. I ran towards it again and flung another fireball at it. The pigman turned around and blocked my attack again, letting go of the ropes and stepping towards me.

Now I was glad for the battle training I had had in school. I charged another fireball and tossed it low to the ground, creating a wall of flame between the pigman and his hostages. The monster recoiled from it and continued shuffling towards me. I threw more fireballs at it and slowly drove the monster further away from the wall. It would soon be close enough for me to bake it like I had the others. Just a little further...-

Something grabbed the back of my shirt and tossed me aside in one fluid motion. I let out a yelp of alarm, hitting the harsh netherrack floor and rolling over it for a moment. I raised my aching head and saw a tall black monster with bright pink eyes. The enderman roared at me, its massive tooth-filled jaws wide open, and ran towards me. I scrambled to get my feet under me, barely managing to toss flames at the monster.

It screeched, the sound a hideous high-pitched wail of anger and pain. The enderman teleported out of range, glaring at me. I noticed the last pigman walking around my flaming barrier towards its captives out of the corner of my eyes. Thinking fast, I summoned a fireball and rushed towards it. The enderman roared as I reared back to throw, and not a second passed before I felt claws digging into my side.

I let out a pained shout and threw the fireball as hard as I could before the tall black monster could fling me away. I could feel bruises and cuts forming all over me as I rolled over the rough ground once again. Then I heard the squeal of an injured pigman. I looked up to see if I had hit it, and was met with the enderman again. I reacted without thinking, making a plume of flame in its general direction as I rolled away and then hopped back to my feet.

The monster roared, taking a few steps back. It was holding its left arm close to its chest, which had burns all over its hand and part of its forearm. And, past it, was the zombie pigman trying to put out its flaming right shoulder. I had bought myself some time, and I was not going to waste it. I rushed towards the enderman, charging up a fireball on each hand, tucking one behind my back. It glared at me and roared, vanishing in a puff of purple particles.

I immediately turned around and flung my 'hidden' fireball behind me. The black monster was already there, mid-swing, and my proyectile hit it square in the chest. The blast knocked it onto its back and set it on fire, the enderman screeching and writhing on the rugged stone. I felt bad for hurting it like this. If I had a sword, maybe it wouldn't be suffering as much. I buried those guilty thoughts away for the moment and ran towards the zombie pigman.

The undead monster was slowly dragging its captives away, its blackened shoulder no longer on fire. I hopped over my flaming barrier and tossed my second fireball at it. The pigman noticed, and sidestepped out of the way. I summed two more fireballs and threw them in rapid succession, to the left and then to the right of the monster. It dodged the first, sidestepping into the path of the second, and was not quick enough to move away again.

My fireball knocked it flat on its back, the pigman squealing in agony. I rushed over to the three people on the floor and began to untie them. "Wake up!" I urged, undoing the lopsided knots as fast as I could. "We have to run! Come on, wake up!"

The first person, a man, blinked his eyes open slowly. I shook him roughly, and he woke up in a snap. "Get up and help me untie the others!" I told him, freeing the man of his bonds.

He got up on unstable feet, but managed to crouch down to untie the second person, a young man. I began untying the last, a woman, when an enderman roared. I turned around, a fireball ready. Two more endermen stood on either side of the first, which glared at me with murder in its eyes. I gave the people I was rescuing a brief glance and then turned back to the endermen. The monster's roared at us again, all of them this time, and then charged.

Their screams made me feel like my skull was going to shatter, but I held my ground, summoning a fireball. "Duck down and stay close together!" I told their ex-captives, watching them huddle down close without hesitation, staring at the incoming monsters with wide, terrified eyes.

I waited for only a second for them to run closer, and then set the netherrack a meter in front of me ablaze. The endermen stopped as I spun, creating a perimeter of tall flames around the four of us. I summoned more fireballs and kept them at the ready, staring at the monsters who glared right back. They roared and huffed, the two newcomers hesitantly approaching the fire before stepping back as I raised the fireballs in my hands threateningly.

The first enderman glared at me silently, staying a short distance from my makeshift wall. I returned its stare evenly, still ready to fire. The enderman narrowed its eyes and then teleported away. A scream made me whirl around, and I was just in time to see an already-burnt monstrous hand peel the young man away from the others and through the wall of flames.

"_No_!" I threw a fireball in its general direction, hoping to hit the monster and not its captive. Then, without hesitation, I kept through my ring of fire and ended up on the other side. I met the boy's terrified, tear-filled gaze for only a moment. Then the enderman warped away, and he disappeared in a cloud of purple particles.

I dropped to one knee, still staring at the spot where the monster had stood a second earlier. I failed. I couldn't save him, and now he was... gone. What kind of princess was I if I couldn't protect my own people? A loud screech pulled me from my stupor, and I turned around to see both other enderman rushing towards me. I stared at them as they approached, and then summoned two fireballs.

The one of the left got to me first, swiping with large hand. I sidestepped away from its attack and threw a fireball right at its face, making the monster screech and stumble back. The other enderman warped away, so I whirled around and spewed flames behind me, catching it by surprise. I didn't relent, tossing fireball after fireball at both of them, determined to keep the others safe.

At last, the endermen screamed and then left. I kept my guard up, looking around. The sounds of cracklings flames and my own heavy breathing were the only ones in the air. I walked towards the ring I made and stomped out part of it, gesturing for the people inside to come out. "It's safe, guys. We need to go back home."

They exchanged looks, tears lining their eyes, before nodding and getting up. "We have to tell his mother," the woman whispered to the man, who nodded. "She'll be devastated."

I led them away, the three of us walking in silence after that. I hadn't thought much about the situation, but now it finally sank in. These people were being carried away by monsters. This, as far as I knew, had never happened before until recently. And I was sure that this is exactly what mom was hiding. Monsters had started kidnapping mobs. How long had it been going on? How many had already been taken? Had any been rescued? Mom would have the answers. And now that I knew, she had no reason to hide them.

I pushed the dreadful questions out of my head and focused on walking back to the fortress. All that mattered now was getting these people home safe.

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3rd person POV

"My liege?" Trudy asked, stepping into the demon's chambers and trying to hide her nervousness. "I have something to report."

The unholy being barely payed any attention to her, staring down at his beast's 'kennel' through the rugged, glass-less window. "Speak."

"The last group of monsters-"

"Sire, I have unfortunate news," a short zombie pigman interrupted, pushing past the blaze woman. An enderman followed close behind, holding a young man tied up in rope with one hand and holding its heavily-burnt other close to its chest. "This is all your monsters brought back. It seems the targets fought back this time."

The demon turned around, ignoring Trudy's annoyed scoff. "A single mob?"

Ivar nodded. "Indeed, my lord. Should I send another team out?"

"You should, but leave this one here," it ordered, walking closer. "Go."

The pigman gave a short bow and promptly left, the injured enderman following. The blaze woman was about to do the same, and then was stopped. "Not you, Trudy. I need you here."

She hesitated, and then turned back towards the demon. "Of course, my lord. What do you need?"

Darkness walked over to and took hold of the young man's bonds, pushing him to kneel at the center of the room, facing Trudy. Then he held out a hand, black flames dancing over his open palm before taking the shape of a shortsword, its hilt pointed away from him. "Kill him," the demon ordered.

The blaze woman blinked, and then stared at the boy. He stared back weakly, his eyes unfocused. The monsters must've done something to him... She looked back up at the demon, and then at the weapon being offered to her. She reached out hesitantly, her eyes wandering back to the boy. He looked so young, so... just... Trudy drew her hand back, fearful as she met the demon's gaze again.

"I... I can't do it, my liege," she whispered.

Darkness hummed, the sword losing its shape. It reformed a split-second later, the hilt now in his hands, and the Demon brought it down on the young man's head. Trudy screamed, turning away and covering her eyes as she heard the blade tear through flesh and bone. She took many deep shuddery breaths, her eyes screwed shut, almost jumping out of her skin as a thud rang out.

"Get out of my sight, Trudy," the demon ordered. "And send someone to clean this mess up."

The blaze woman gave him a tiny nod, trying to hold back sobs as she walked away. It was awful. Everything was awful. The monsters, the kidnappings, all of it. She wanted out. She wanted to leave. She wanted a good night's rest—she had been having nightmares every time she closed her eyes. Nightmares of him—and most of all, she wanted to cry.

Trudy hid in her 'room', finally letting the tears flow. She felt, no, knew that he was going to kill her. She was going to die. The blaze woman sobbed, curling up into a ball, hoping no monsters found her like this. She forced herself to stop after a few minutes. If she didn't do as told, then she would seal her fate. Trudy got up and walked down the rugged halls in search of a guard. The sight and the sound of what happened plagued her.

Another sleepless night.

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Author's Notes

The ending was planned, and supposed to be gruesome. I myself didn't like what happened, and I'm not really sure if it turned out well enough, but it's been done.

The tournament section is what I'm most proud of. Writing fight scenes is always very engaging, cuz I have a very wild imagination, and they're also fun to read. I hope you like this one, and that you think it's as good as my other ones.

Kait's POV... I honestly felt that it was a tad lackluster. Blame the fact that I've been lazy for any rust you find here and there. The action scene there, though I did like.

I have to apologize again for taking so long, because otherwise my consciousness will keep jabbing me in the gut. I'm really sorry, and I'm also very very much thankful to those who stick around despite the long gap between chapters. You fellas are truly amazing.

Anywho... thank you so so much for your time, support, and most importantly, patience. I hope you have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb


	22. Friends, Loved ones, and Fear

(Alt. Title: Sorry it's been so long!)

Apologetic Author's Notes

It's been… months, since I last posted a chapter, and I feel really bad about that… life's just been drawing my attention away from writing recently. I feel like I keep repeating myself with each apology and that what I say becomes more of an excuse each time, so I'm just going to… apologize, and get on with it. So, I'm sorry.

I want to write three more chapters before I post the next one, so I can try to get back to my old 1-chp-a-week schedule. Hopefully, I'll be able to pull it off.

Anywho... Reviews!

GiggiEba, heh, well, I'm glad the gruesomeness wasn't deterring in the slightest. :P And it's very much alright to be weird, so don't worry. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! Here's the next, and again, sorry for the long wait.

kevy365,yeah, Trudy! Get out of there, quick!

Guest, heh, yeah, sorry… I'm working on it, I promise. :) Might've been, I'll have to check… yep, I meant conscience. :P

minecraftprogame, yeah, it is! Sorry it's not finished… heh, I'm glad you like it so much! Heh, well, hopefully it will have been worth the wait.

fanzforzfictionz, I've made it, I finished it! So sorry it took me forever and a day…

AlbinoRecord123, I'm glad you do! I feel terrible that I didn't hurry, but I put it out there in the end. :)

kevy365, heh, no, I'm not dead, but thanks for asking. :D I'm doing well, it's just that i've been up to other stuff instead of writing… heh, hi. :P

And now, finally, at long last, let's get on with the story!

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Sarah's POV

His hand cupped my cheek gently as his lips pressed up against mine. I had my arms wrapped around his neck, keeping the boy close as I kissed him. We were in our shared room, the curtains in place, only a feeble beam of sunlight pouring in. It was one of my 'off' days, so of course Thomas and I would make the most of it and spend a good long while making out. And you can't blame me either. I was sure that I'd lost him, but now that he was back... I don't know. I wanted to make sure I used up every second with my boyfriend.

Tom pulled away to breathe, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. I hadn't bothered to tie it up this morning. We were a bit busy cuddling in bed. "I love you," he murmured.

I smiled, pressing my forehead to his. "I love you too, Tom."

He smiled back, giving me another quick kiss. "Are you sure it's okay for us to just... do this? You must have many more responsibilities to deal with since you're a general."

"Blame it on Jack," I answered, taking his hand and pulling away. "He wanted me to take breaks from soldiering. I was completely against it before, obviously, but I think it'll be okay if we take advantage of it for a while."

The boy chuckled. "Right. How's your dad?"

"He's doing great," I told him, smiling a little. "Jack and I helped him out, so the house is a lot nicer now. So's his garden, which is good. I'm surprised you remember since you've only met him once."

Thomas shrugged. "I remember most things about my past life. And like I said before, fragments of older lives."

I hummed, inching closer. "Is it okay for me to ask about them?" I asked quietly. "Your memories?"

He hesitated. "Yeah, it's alright. I'll try to answer what I can, so... ask away."

A tiny smile made its way to my face. "Okay. What's your oldest memory?"

The boy frowned thoughtfully for a minute. "Uh… one of the oldest I remember is... the first time I faced Darkness," he murmured. "I'm pretty sure that's the oldest thing I can remember."

I blinked, feeling terrible for asking. "Oh. You... you don't have to tell me about that if you don't want to."

"It's alright," he said. "I... don't mind."

"Are you sure?" I pressed. I was curious, but knowing wasn't worth opening an old wound of his.

Tom smiled. "Positive. What do you want to know?"

I hummed as I thought about what to ask. "What was the first thing you said to him?"

He chuckled, blushing a little and shrugging. "'Good afternoon'."

Of course. I rolled my eyes, unable to keep myself from smiling. "And what did... he say?"

Thomas turned away, staring at his lap for a moment. "'There will be nothing good about it'," he murmured. "'Believe me'."

I sighed. "I didn't want you to get upset-"

"I'm not upset," he interrupted, "just... well, okay, I'm a bit upset, but not at you or because you made me remember. Thing is... I've never truly wanted to fight him."

"Really?" I asked incredulously. "Why not? He's a demon."

"That doesn't mean anything on its own," Tom explained. "From what I can remember, I was good friends with a few demons. And Blight's another example. 'Demon' is just... a faction, sort of. They do have to feed, unlike angels who have to let out energy to survive, but that's the only true difference."

I hummed. "Yeah, but in this case it's Darkness. Why did you not want to bring him down?"

"I still don't," he mumbled, turning away. "It's... I always hoped that I'd be able to convince him to change. Peaceful solutions were the first thing I tried with any threat."

"And did you try it with him?" I asked.

The boy nodded. "He was going to attack a mob city, and I tried to talk him out of it. I... explained how we could all live in harmony, told him that we could be like brothers."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that why he calls you 'brother'?"

Tom chuckled. "I guess so. We had our first battle shortly after my attempt at a peaceful resolution failed. I could have ended it right then," he murmured. "I was winning the fight at the end, but when I got the chance to finish him, I... didn't. I couldn't bring myself to do it. Just so you know, I had never killed a demon before him. I fought and drove them away, but I had never killed one, nor had I wanted to.

"He took advantage of that and attacked me again," he went on. "I had no choice but to do the same. In the end, we both died... but the city was safe, and so were all the people who lived there."

"And you've been dealing with him ever since," I concluded.

Thomas nodded. "The sun talked to me after the battle. I don't remember much of what he said, just that every time Darkness and I died to each other's hand, we would lose a piece of ourselves. My light would fade and his flames would dissipate, until there was nothing left of either. But if I let him win, if he beat me, then he would wreak havoc over all the clans."

I stared at him, the boy not turning to look me in the eye. "Don't worry about that right now, Tom," I said, leaning against him. "Let's change the subject, okay? What else can you remember?"

He frowned again, thinking. A smile bloomed on his face. "Something else I remember is working on the castle and Veridon's wall. We finished it the same day I met Darkness."

"You built the castle?" I asked. "Wow."

"I had lots of help, obviously," Tom said with a shrug. "But yeah. A team of endermen builders and I built many of Veridon's houses, the wall, and the Ironstone Fortress. I've actually wondered how different it is now that when we first finished it."

I smiled, getting up. "How about a tour? I can show you around, and you can tell me what you can remember about it."

Tom smiled back, rising as well. "I'd love a tour."

"Then let's go," I told him, leading the boy out of our room and down the hall

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"This is the kitchen," I told him, opening the door. Most of the cooks were there, chopping away at vegetables and boiling things in pots.

Tom hummed, looking around. "It... hasn't changed much from what I can remember. Some of the equipment is different, and most of the furniture is in a different spot, but other than that... it looks the way it did ages ago."

I smiled. "I guess that means you built it well. Let's go to… the dining room."

He took my hand as he followed, smiling back at me. I brought him to the dining room, stopping to let him have a look. The boy examined the large room, walking around the tables and chairs. Smiling faintly, he placed a hand on one of the smooth tables. "These things were a pain to carry over," he told me.

"Really?" I asked, giggling. "Well, you did it in the end, by the looks of things. Congrats."

Tom chuckled. "Thanks. I always liked these, despite how annoying they were to move around." He looked up at the ceiling. "The chandeliers are different, though."

I hummed, walking over to him. "Are they? Well… maybe the original ones fell. Their chains might have rusted over time."

He nodded. "Probably. These look really cool as well, so that's good." The boy turned towards the castle's rear entrance. "I wonder if the courtyard changed."

A smile made its way to my face. "Oh, maybe, but not by much I'm sure."

The boy raised an eyebrow at me, and I took his hand to lead him outside. "Let's go check."

Tom smiled, tagging along. I was practically skipping towards the door, excited to show him the new addition to the castle's courtyard. I placed my hand on the doorknob, grinning at him--I probably looked stupid, but I didn't care--and then slowly opened the door. Spreading my arms out theatrically, I brought him outside. "Welcome to my garden."

He stepped outside slowly, taking it all in. I had put in some more work over the past few days, so now everything was gorgeous. I had planted a few more colorful tulips, had taken care of every single lovely flower, and had planted a few more saplings which would grow into tall trees and create a natural canopy above it all.

The boy looked to be in utter awe. He turned to look at me, gesturing to the beautiful grass. "May I…?"

I smiled, taking his hand again and leading him into the garden. He looked around, admiring every flower, sapling, and bush. We stopped in front of the stone formation in the center, where we had set up the mini waterfall, and where I had planted an apple tree sapling. It had grown up a tiny bit, its pretty little leaves almost glowing under the sunlight. Tom stared at it, carefully reaching over to brush a finger against one of its leaves.

I giggled, smiling widely. The boy turned to me, smiling back. "You giggled."

Blinking, I crossed my arms. I tried--very hard--but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. "So what if I did, huh? Am I not allowed to giggle?"

Tom chuckled, taking my hand again. "Yeah, you are. It's just that I had never heard you giggle before." He turned back to the sapling. "This is an apple tree, isn't it?"

"Yep," I answered, placing my head on his shoulder. "The rest of the guys helped me set this up a few weeks ago. They bought a lot of supplies and flora, and let me plan out this little area."

He smiled. "You made them suffer, didn't you?"

I stuck my tongue out to him, making the boy chuckle. "I built this little bit with some help," I told him, gesturing to the rock formation, "and planted the sapling in your memory. I... thought it would be a… bittersweet thing to remember you by."

Tom wrapped an arm around my shoulders, holding me close. He planted a kiss on the top of my head. "Thanks… I think this is the perfect thing to remember me by," he murmured, smiling at me.

I smiled back, and we both stood there in silence, staring at my beautiful garden. "I love you, Tom," I whispered.

"I love you too, Sarah," he answered just as softly. We spent a good few minutes in my garden, enjoying the sun's warmth, and each other's company. Then we went back inside, back up to my room, and spent most of the day chatting and making out. Life was perfect.

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Valory's POV

I nodded my head again at the mayor, barely processing his complaints. I had been going from city to city all day, every other day, listening to greedy, self-centered talking heads. 'There's not enough funds for this,' 'I need a raise', 'people are disrupting governmental procedures', 'the soldiers aren't doing as they're told,' yada yada. In the end, they always asked for more money, no matter the issue.

"...and now there are people claiming that I am corrupt!" the mayor exclaimed angrily. "That is absurd! What are you going to do about this, your highness?"

I blinked, staring at him. "I, uh… well, I guess…"

"You must do something," he pressed.

"I…"

Lila stepped in between us, jabbing her finger at the man. "Why must she, huh? You're the one being accused, and rightfully so, you greedy bastard! I think that the only thing your queen can do about this is choose a mayor who isn't a money-grabbing prick! If you want to keep your position, you better do your job properly. None of this would be happening if you hadn't diverted funds from the _fucking hospital!_"

Both the mayor and I were shocked. He straightened his jacket, stepping back a bit. "R-right… forgive me for being so… direct, your highness," he mumbled, turning to me.

I nodded, placing a hand on Lila's shoulder. "It's… it's nothing. We'll be going now, mister Rhoe," I told him, leading my glaring sister away. She was still shooting daggers into the man, looking at him over her shoulder. "Have a... nice day."

He nodded, turning away from us. "You too, your highness."

We stepped out of his office, going down to the railway. Once we had gotten into the carts, and were racing our way back to the Hanging City on the rails, I broke into a giggle. Lila raised an eyebrow. "What's gotten into you?"

"It's just… the look on that poor man!" I explained, trying to calm down.

Lila laughed as well, smiling. "What? I wasn't gonna let him keep harassing you like that. You get plenty of that shit from most of the other mayors."

I smiled back, shaking my head. "But you didn't have to leave him so many scars."

The cave spider shrugged. "No-one messes with my big sister without getting at least a few."

"See, this is why you'd make a better queen," I told her, giggling again.

Lila rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Not this again. You're a brilliant queen, Val. And you know that June and I are always here for you if you need help."

"Yeah, but you're so… badass and confident," I countered. "I never know what to say or do."

"Hey, if I were queen, I'd have already pissed off every citizen at the capital," she joked.

I shook my head, smiling wider. "My opinion still stands. I think you'd be twice the queen I am."

"What about Jack?" she asked. "It'd be a lot harder for you two to be together if you weren't queen."

A sigh left me. "Yeah… that's… actually the only reason I haven't just… quit," I told her with a smile.

Lila blinked, frowning. "Wait, so… you're serious? About not wanting to be queen?"

I hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. "Yeah, I am. I just… don't feel like I'm… good at this. I struggle with the speeches, I have barely done any good in my kingdom… Jack's done a great job improving the lives of everyone."

The cave spider sighed. "You can't compare your efforts to his. He's lived a life of royalty for a good while, so he already knows how to do certain things, already knows how to handle people. You just need a little more experience, that's all."

I gave her a nod, humming. "I guess you're right. But that doesn't mean I don't still feel like I'm not qualified."

"Alright, fine, let's change the subject," Lila said. "What're we gonna do after this?"

"Um…" I frowned. "I'm not sure. I don't think we have anything else yet, but missJune might have something new for us."

She nodded. "Right."

I smiled. "How are things with Adrian?"

Lila huffed a little, smiling back. "Why do you ask?"

"I just wanna know," I answered. "C'mon, you never tell me anything about the two of you. And we're by ourselves now. You know I'm not gonna tell anyone."

She sighed again, looking downwards. "Things between him and I are great. It really sucks that we don't live in the same city, but hey, you always drag me along to see Jack, so that works out."

"You were the one who asked if you could come with me that first time!" I pointed out laughingly.

The cave spider waved me away, smiling wider. "Spare me the details. He and I took a walk the other day. It was pretty fun."

"That's great. Is his injured private alright now?"

Lila nodded. "Yeah. Adrian's still a bit shook up because he thinks it was his fault, somehow, but he's fine. He said he was probably going to change the rules for his troops too, so everyone's safer."

I hummed, smiling again. "Well, as long as he's alright. How about you? Are you alright?"

She smirked, leaning back against the inside of her cart. "I just got to shout at a fat asshole. I'm better than alright."

A giggle escaped me, and I rolled my eyes. "I guess I didn't really know what kind of answer I'd get…"

The cave spider chuckled as well. We talked most of the way to the capital, until we arrived at the station. A couple of guards helped us out of the carts, one of them bowing afterwards. "Your highness, king Jack is here to see you at the front entrance."

I blinked, a smile blooming on my face. "Really?"

"Is Adrian here too?" Lila asked, struggling to keep a poker face upright. I smiled wider at that.

The guard smiled too. "Yes, I do believe he is."

My sister took my hand, and practically dragged me away. "Thank you, have a good day!"

I giggled once we were out of earshot, tugging on her hold of me. "Slow down! They're not going anywhere."

Lila huffed, blushing and slowing to a walk. "I want to spend as much time with him as I can, alright?"

"I know, I know," I told her. "I know how that feels… but we should still walk. We don't want to fall and hurt ourselves."

She nodded, and we walked towards the main entrance. Jack and Adrian were both there, as we had been told. The young skeleton king was having a chat with two of my guards as we approached.

"...dry leaves after that, according to Sarah," we heard the king say. "Egg shells and fruit peels in the next layer, and then more dirt. You leave it outside for a few days…" The stray turned to us and smiled. "Hello!"

We both smiled back at them, Lila walking past him to hug Adrian tightly. Jack pulled me into a hug of our own as well, and I pulled away just enough to give him a quick kiss. "Hi. What were you talking about?"

Jack chuckled. "Mark is setting up a garden for his mother, and he asked us if we knew how to make compost just to make small talk."

One of the guards nodded. "Yeah. But I'm grateful for the help, your highness."

The stray smiled at him. "No problem. I'm glad to help."

I smiled at the guards. "Thank you for keeping them company. Have a good day."

They gave us quick bows. "Have a good day, your majesties."

We returned the bows. "Good day to you both," Lila told them before we walked further into the castle.

"Not that I'm complaining, but why the surprise visit?" I asked Jack after a moment

He shrugged, smiling. "In all honesty… I wanted to see you. And I dragged Adrian along for the ride because… y'know."

I giggled, nodding. "Right. That's really sweet of you."

Jack planted a kiss on my forehead, smiling wider. "How have you been? Any royal plans that'll stop me from taking you out on a walk?"

"I've been good, thanks," I answered, smiling back. "I haven't spoken with miss June yet, so I don't know if there's anything I have to do. If there's nothing, then I'd love to take a walk."

He nodded. "Alright. I really enjoy taking walks here. The buildings are very interesting."

"Yeah, they are," I agreed.

We walked together up the stairs and towards the throne room. Lila and Adrian waved goodbye and walked away, towards the dining hall and the kitchen. We stopped in front of the throne room's doors, and I turned towards him. "Wait out here for me, please? I'll only be a minute."

The stray smiled, leaning against a wall. "Alright, I'll be right here."

Smiling back, I nodded, and slipped inside. "Thanks," I told him as I closed the door behind me.

My second royal advisor was sitting in her chair--which was to the left of my throne and opposite to Lila's--and reading a book when I stepped inside. She looked up at the sound of me closing the door, and smiled. "Hello, Val."

"Hello, miss June," I said, smiling back. I refused to just call her 'June'. It felt wrong.

"Did your visit to mister Rhoe go smoothly?" she asked, closing her book.

I hummed, smiling sheepishly. "I guess you could… say that."

The ex-queen chuckled. "Lila shouted at him, didn't she?"

"How did you know?" I asked with a giggle.

"I would have done the exact same thing," miss June answered, still smiling.

Shrugging, I walked closer. "Is there anything else for me to do today?"

"Yes, actually," she said, taking a letter from her pockets. "King Adam wanted to meet with you to organize new trade routes between here and Laterite."

I nodded, hiding my disappointment and reading the letter. The creeper king wanted to make silk trading faster, and he wanted to trade for more of it. "It's not urgent, though, is it?" I asked miss June.

"I suppose not," she agreed with a nod. "I can send him a letter explaining that you're not available yet. Should I tell him why?"

I opened my mouth, thinking about it. "No, just… tell him I'm busy."

My royal advisor nodded, smiling. "Could _I_ know why?"

Smiling back, I shrugged. "I have to take a walk with someone important."

She chuckled. "Alright. Go take your walk, then, your highness," she teased, giving me a short bow.

"Thank you, miss June," I said, bowing back before leaving the throne room.

Jack turned to me as I stepped outside. "So, are you free for the rest of today?"

I sighed, turning away. "No… I'm gonna be busy."

The stray frowned. "Oh… that's fine. Busy with what?"

Unable to help myself, I broke into a smile. I wrapped my arms around his neck and planted a big kiss on his cheek. "I have to take a walk with a certain someone."

The young skeleton king smiled. "Alright, then let's take a walk," he said, kissing me on the lips.

We left the castle hand in hand and walked the streets of the Hanging City, greeting people and admiring the buildings here. A loud, sharp cry rang out, startling a few people. Hawkheart dove toward us, fluttering down to rest on my shoulder. I smiled, scratching the large phantom's chin. "Hey, buddy. Is the clothing I made you still good? Do you have any burns on you?"

My pet cawed softly, stretching his wings and shaking a little. He seemed alright, no burns on his body or tears on the clothing.

"He seems happy to have you home," Jack comments with a smile. He reaches over, petting the monster. Hawkheart rumbles softly, leaning into his touch.

"Yeah, he does," I agreed, smiling back. "It's been ages since we've had any fun together, hasn't it, Hawky?"

The phantom cawed again, glaring at me now. I giggled, pouting at him. "Awww, I'm sorry, buddy. I've been busy, you know that. Tell you what, why don't you come with us? You can fly around, beg people for food, and get pats from us. Do you wanna do that?"

Hawkheart purrs, nosing my and settling down comfortably on my shoulder. I smiled, giving his little snout a kiss. "I'm glad you like the idea, buddy."

Jack chuckled, taking my hand. "Where should we go?"

I hummed, and then shrugged. "Wherever, I guess," I answered, leaning over to peck his cheek.

The stray smiles at me, returning the kiss and leading us onward. "Wherever it is, then."

We spent the rest of the day walking, talking, and kissing, enjoying each other's sweet company. Hawkheart got plenty of kisses, rubbing, and food, the large phantom spooking several folks along the way. It sucked when he had to go back to Veridon, but… we said we'd meet again tomorrow. King Adam will just have to wait for a while longer.

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3rd person POV

Monsters snarled and huffed at each other, unable to sit still for much longer. They had been waiting for many weeks to go out and wreak havoc, and the promises for carnage were getting old.A blaze woman passed by with her head held high, as always. Most of the monsters couldn't tell, but she was terrified to be near them now. Terrified that, if they knew what she was thinking of doing, they'd kill her where she stood.

She walked onwards, into the caverns where her room was located. The blaze quietly shut her door, and sat down on the bed. She couldn't leave today. The demon still needed her to run his wicked errands. He knew full well how skittish she had become, which is why he appointed that runt of a third-in-command to keep the monsters in line instead of her.

She would have to think of a plan. Even if she could start a fight, very few monsters would battle each other. It wouldn't cause enough chaos for her to leave unnoticed. And if she managed to escape, it would be less than an hour by the time he knew. It was almost hopeless. She couldn't fight: her flames had never been any good for much. She couldn't run fast or far either, and the endermen would find her before she could reach any of the mob cities.

It wasn't long before a headache set in, bringing tears and increasing her ever-present fear. She had to get out. But she didn't know how she could. Footsteps approached her door, and the blaze quickly dried her tears. She got up and walked to her dresser, the only other furniture item in her room, to pretend to be busy. The door opened, and she turned around to find the demon there.

"Trudy," he began, gesturing for her to step outside. "I have a task for you."

The blaze woman nodded, walking out of her room. "What do you need, my lord?"

"Dusk needs more food," he answered. "Send some of my monsters to collect it."

She nodded. "Very well-"

"You are going with them," the demon interrupted, leaning in. "Just so you can make sure nobody frees our captives this time."

Trudy blinked. "Alright… I will, my liege."

"Good. Keep an eye on them," he told her, walking away towards his own quarters.

The blaze watched as he walked away, completely shocked. This could be the chance for her to escape, but if she tried… what if she was caught by the monsters? They would probably be keeping an eye on her too. If she tried, she might die, and if she doesn't… tha blaze is more than certain that she will. She would have to think some more, but for now…

Trudy walked back to the large cavern, and picked out a spider and two zombie pigmen. She would have to play along if she wanted a chance to escape, and play along she would.

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Author's Notes

I feel terrible, cuz the chapter's approximately 500 words short of the full 5k, but I don't know what else to add. So, I'm calling it finished at last.

I did enjoy writing this chapter, just like all the others, but I'm still very much ashamed of how long it took me to finish it. Even so, I hope you enjoyed it. :D

Thank you all for your time, support, and most of all, patience. Have an awesome day!

~ LeMafiaKreb

(P.S, kevy, you're pretty much the only reason the chapter was done today, so thanks for that. :D )


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